The Old Etonian Medical Society has a long history of supporting boys who are interested in finding out more about medical careers. Over the years they have provided numerous speakers for the frequent meetings of MedSoc, providing insights into a rich variety of specialties. Last night’s speaker was Darren Lui OE, (JRK,’95), a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at St George’s Hospital, who spoke about surgical approaches to the treatment of oligometastatic cancer.
In his talk, Mr Lui took us through the developments in variety and sophistication of spinal treatments with regards to cancer; from relatively simple spinal adjustments to maintain stability and correct structure, to more complex and invasive excisions of cancers as technology improved over the ages, to carbon and hydrogen ion treatment as the future of radiotherapy, and the movement away from invasive surgeries in the present. He also gave an in-depth explanation of how a surgeon approaches varieties of cancer, and how he has to work with other departments in order to understand the most ethically moral action when taking in difficult cases. Perhaps most touching was the human side of the story he shared through various cases of his career, through which the importance in spinal surgery, not just in saving lives, but also palliative care, was poignantly put across. Overall, this was a highly engaging talk which conveyed a positive and progressive attitude towards treating oligometastatic cancer in the present and the days to come.
GDF
