Know about renowned Oncologist Jayant Vaidya

Jayant Vaidya is a breast cancer expert who specialises in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the breast. He is a Consultant Surgeon at the Whittington, Royal Free and University College London Hospitals. His private breast practice is at the London Breast Institute at the Princess Grace Hospital, where he runs a One-Stop breast clinic and sees emergency cases.
He is extremely active in many research projects for breast disease and breast cancer. With his PhD thesis at University College London, he pioneered the concept of targeted intraoperative radiotherapy (TARGIT or IORT), to deliver radiotherapy to women at the time of surgery as opposed to the usual 6-week course of postoperative radiotherapy. He has been featured on BBC’s Tomorrow’s World in relation to this. He qualified in surgical oncology (MBBS MS DNB) from the Bombay University and the National Board. His PhD is from London University and he is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, FRCS, UK. At the age of 17, he was offered a National Scholarship for his entire medical education.

He has worked at the Tata Memorial Hospital, Royal Marsden Hospital, University College London and the University of Dundee, and is currently a Senior Lecturer and Consultant Surgeon at University College London.

Clinical Practice

His clinical practice has been busy. He has long experience in all aspects of breast surgery including lumpectomy, wide local excision and quadrantectomy for breast cancer, sentinel node biopsy / axillary sampling, axillary clearance, and targeted intraoperative radiotherapy. He works in conjunction with renowned plastic surgeons for breast reconstructive surgery. He is well versed with a multidisciplinary approach to breast cancer treatment and works very closely with a renowned team of medical oncologists, radiotherapists, radiologists and pathologists, as well as specialists in psychosocial care.

Research Interests

Mr Vaidya is considered a world opinion leader in breast cancer. He has over 180 original publications on varied subjects and has given over 80 invited talks, including the European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC), European Cancer Conference (ECCO), Milan breast cancer conference and the San Antonio breast cancer conference. He has been invited to contribute to several books on breast cancer. His book “Fast Facts – breast cancer” is due to be published in Spring 2010. He has also featured in Time Magazine and Reader's Digest.

His main research interest is understanding the natural history of breast cancer and how to treat it with maximum effectiveness and minimal harm. His work on IORT was inspired by his original laboratory work in 1994-5, that led him to the idea that breast cancer treatment with surgery and radiotherapy needs to be focussed and targeted. Working with Professor Michael Baum, he developed the concept, tools and the surgical operative procedure to give targeted intraoperative radiotherapy to the tissues immediately around breast cancer, after it is surgically removed. He called it TARGIT- for TARGeted Intraoperative radioTherapy.

The TARGIT procedure has been now been used in over 2000 women worldwide. Given as a tumour bed boost, TARGIT appears to achieve more than 98% durable local control, a remarkable result. The international TARGIT trial in 25 specialist cancer centres worldwide is nearing completion. His recent collaborative translational research work suggests that TARGIT treatment may also change the tumour micro-environment making it less conducive for tumour growth. The TARGIT-A trial will inform us whether this treatment - a single dose of radiotherapy, given in the operation theatre, immediately after removal of the breast cancer is equivalent to the standard 6-week course of postoperative radiotherapy. The TARGIT-B trial will inform us whether TARGIT boost is superior to the standard postoperative boost because it is accurately timed and targeted. To read more about his publications, please browse this website and for literature about the TARGIT trial, go to www.targit.org.uk

An Indian oncologist is among three experts in the U.K. who have achieved a breakthrough in the treatment of breast cancer after a 10-year trial that demonstrates that a single dose of radiation during surgery is just as effective as a prolonged course of radiotherapy.

Goa-origin Jayant Vaidya, who works at the University College, Royal Free and Whittington Hospitals, designed and led the trial called interoperative radiotherapy (TARGIT) involving 2,000 women along with oncologists Jeffrey Tobias and Mike Baum.

The new approach means selected patients receive just one dose of radiation during surgery to remove breast cancer. A probe is inserted into the breast so that it can target the exact site of cancer.

Dr Vaidya said: “This has been my dream for the last 15 years. The new treatment could mean that many more women could conserve their breasts. TARGIT saves time, money and breasts.”

He added: “Scientifically, the results change the way of thinking about breast cancer and its treatment.

It suggests that in selected patients the whole breast does not need to be treated and that the radiation dose and that the radiation dose can be much lower.”

Dr Vaidya, who hails from a prominent doctors family from Goa, studied at the Peoples' High School, Panaji, Dhempe College, and the Goa Medical College.

Dr Tobias, who enrolled the first-ever patient on the trial at the former Middlesex Hospital in London along with Dr Vaidya, said: “I think the reason why it works so well is because of the precision of the treatment.

It eradicates the very highest risk area — the part of the breast from which the tumour was removed.”

He added: “It is given in a single dose via an intra-operative probe and the conventional surgery is extended by just 30-40 minutes while the patient is asleep under anaesthetic.”

It also means there is an otherwise unachievable degree of immediacy because the cancer is taken out and radiation goes in as soon as the surgery is complete — rather than weeks after.

The surgery and radiotherapy which would otherwise take around five weeks is done and dusted.

Kate Law, director of clinical research at Cancer Research U.K., said: “Radiotherapy is already a very effective treatment, so improving that even further is an exciting prospect.

“Further follow-up of these women will be needed to confirm whether this strategy not only makes the most of the therapy’s power but also minimises any long—term side effects.”

Results published in The Lancet show that in selected patients, the new method appears to be just as effective as conventional post-operative breast cancer treatment which can be a lengthy process.

A prolonged course of radiotherapy can mean 20 or 30 visits to hospital over five to six weeks.

However, targeted intra-operative radiotherapy benefits patients by reducing their exposure to radiation toxicity and reducing the number of journeys they have to make to the hospital.

According to the authors, for the National Health Service, it could mean reduced waiting lists for breast cancer treatment and estimated savings of as much as 15 million pounds a year, despite the initial outlay for new equipment.