Surgery can now be performed locally at Wairarapa Hospital for the majority of breast cancer patients in the district, thanks to the use of new cancer-marker technology.

The new technology (called Savi Scout), allows radiologists at Hutt Hospital to locate and mark the site of small, early or difficult-to-feel cancers on the breast well in advance of surgery.

For the majority of Wairarapa women, who have their breast cancers marked at Hutt Hospital, this means there they can return home after the marker procedure and have their surgeries locally at Wairarapa Hospital - at a later date.

The old previously-used ‘hookwire’ cancer marker technology could not be inserted in advance of surgery, only on the same day. This required breast cancer patients from Wairarapa to travel over the Remutaka Range to Hutt Hospital to receive the cancer marking in the morning then stay at the hospital for surgery in the afternoon.

Being able to have the cancer marker procedure on a different day to surgery allows Wairarapa women to comfortably travel home afterwards and prepare for their operation, locally.

Health New Zealand General Surgeon, Dr Clare French says being able to undergo surgery closer to home will be more convenient for Wairarapa women (who already attend consultations at Wairarapa Hospital), and more comfortable –as they won’t have to travel back over the Remutaka Range post-operation and after a general anaesthetic.

Additional benefits of breast cancer surgeries being carried out at Wairarapa Hospital include easing pressure on theatre capacity at Hutt Hospital and helping to improve treatment times for other cancer patients.

This aligns with the Health New Zealand health targets of ‘shorter wait times for elective treatment’ and ‘faster cancer treatment’.