ACCURACY is the number one priority for those working with cancer patients in East Lancashire, which is why Dr Charles Grimley is backing the Magic Eye appeal.

Dr Grimley, a consultant physician and gastroenterologist at Burnley General Hospital, believes the state-of-the-art ultrasound endoscope equipment will save time for patients and staff, as well as saving patients the trauma of surgery they don't need.

Most importantly, the equipment will improve the diagnostic accuracy for patients thought to have diseases such as cancer of the stomach and oesophagus.

The Lancashire Evening Telegraph appeal will raise £200,000 to buy the equipment, which allow medical staff to improve diagnosis and treatment of cancer in the stomach and oesophagus -- which account for one in seven of all cancer deaths.

It will allow staff to see the extent of cancer growth and carry out explorations in the body without the need for an operation.

The hospital will be the only one in the area to have the equipment and it will help the long-term aim of creating a regional cancer treatment centre in East Lancashire.

Dr Grimley said: "If we can improve the accuracy of our diagnosis, then we can decide better whether or not a patient is potentially curable by surgery.

"The idea is it will save several unnecessary surgical operations for people who are often frail anyway and therefore quality of life, which is so important for people with these diseases, won't be impaired by unnecessary surgery. Thus it will be a major benefit to patients."

Currently, Dr Grimley said, endoscopies on patients with stomach and oesophageal cancer show the disease from the inside only - but the new equipment will show whether the tumour has spread through the layers of the oesophageal wall to involve other vital structures which may make surgery more difficult and in some cases, impossible.

He added: "This technology has been in development for about 10 years. Fortunately it is now available out of academic centres and is accessible so it can benefit patients in local district hospitals."

He added: "One very good thing about the appeal and us having the equipment in East Lancashire is that it will be bringing the trusts in Burnley and Blackburn closer together, which can only benefit patients and the quality of service they will be getting."