This confirms that Ashya successfully had a brain tumour removed, and for best results further treatment is recommended within a short time scale (4-6 weeks post surgery, which was on 24 July).
However the surgery wasn’t without incident and, as his father explained, he suffered Posterior Fossa Syndrome as a result. This affects his speech, swallowing and movement, and is why he now needs special feeding arrangements. Interestingly, these side effects of treatment are not mentioned in the hospital statement.
Whilst the hospital are keen to pursue their chosen therapy at speed (within one week) they also haven’t addressed the side effects relating to further treatment.
The hospital state that with treatment Ashya has good chances of survival (70-80%). They also confirm no difference in survival between standard and proton radiotherapy. However proton therapy has a significantly reduced side effect profile, particularly in children (1). The conclusion therefore that there is ‘no overall proven benefit’ of proton therapy is bizarre.
Mr King tells us that it was the refusal to discuss potential side effects, coupled with a threat of a protection order if he continued to ask questions, that promoted the family’s radical action.
The key point in all of this is that there are likely to be side effects of treatment, as the King’s have already experienced. It is the family that ultimately have to live with the consequences of whatever treatment is followed. It is only right and humane that they are able to make the final decision. Hopefully the oncologist sent to Spain will help them through this process with facts and figures. I doubt they will be fobbed off by anything less.
You can read the hospital statement here
References
(1) W. H. St. Clair et al, Advantage of protons compared to conventional X-ray or IMRT in the treatment of a pediatric patient with medulloblastoma, Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys.58, 727-734 (2004)
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