A GROUND-breaking project that will prolong and improve the lives of thousands of men diagnosed with testicular cancer is being led by a Northwood-based charity.

Paul Strickland Scanner Centre is Britain’s leading cancer imaging charity and operates out of Mount Vernon Hospital.

As part of diagnosing and monitoring their cancer, patients with testicular tumours are required to undergo multiple Computed Tomography (CT) scans.

Each CT scan exposes a patient to ionising radiation, which can raise someone’s risk of developing fertility problems, organ dysfunction, or cancer in later life.

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Most men with testicular cancer are young, which means a higher radiation dose is particularly disadvantageous to them.

The project outlines how the radiation dose for can be reduced by at least 30%, with no loss to CT scan image quality.

If nationally adopted, the project will save many of the 2,300 men diagnosed in the UK with testicular cancer every year from possible radiation.