Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 1992

The skin bank w i l provide advanced treatment to about 250 patients each year and w i l continue to conduct research to i mp r o ve treatment results. G i v en adequate resources, it hopes to extend its service to other local hospitals at a later stage. New Technique to Treat Nasopharyngeal Cancer The Department o f Surgery has succeedei n using photosensitive drugs and lasers to treat patients w i th nasopharyngea l c ncer. Nasopharyngea l cancer is the second most c ommon cancer i n H o ng K o n g, affecting people o f a younger age group. This k i nd of tumour usually grows at the back of the nose and until n ow the only treatment available has been radiation therapy, wh i ch is not always effective. A new treatment programme, photodynami c therapy ( PDT ), has recently been introduced at the Prince o f Wales Hospital under the leadership o f Dr. C . A. V an Hasselt o f the Department o f Surgery. The programme is run i n conjunction w i th the Department of Radiotherapy o f the hospital. Patients w h o have failed to respond to the conventional radiation therapy w i l first be injected w i th atumour-seeking drug, w h i ch w i l concentrate i n the tumour. L i g ht energy f r om a Go ld Vapour Laser is then transmitted to the tumour site at the back o f the nose by a fibre-optic system to activate the drug. This 'switching on' of the drug causes the release of active components w h i ch are lethal to the cancer cells but harmless to the surrounding normal tissues o f t he b o d y. D o c t o rs h a ve f o u nd that nasopharyngea l tumours are extremely sensitive to PDT, and so far no trace of cancer cells can be found at any o f the sites treated. Several thousand patients w i th awide variety o f malignant tumours i n different parts o f the body have been similarly treatedworldwide, w i th most encouragin results. The technique has been shown to be effective i n curing a w i de range o f cancers. Funding for this expensive programme has been provided by a most generous donation f r om the Shaw Foundation. The Gold Vapour Laser and tumour-seeking drugs have been ordered f r om Australia. University Members Serving on External Committees The f o l l o w i ng members o f the University have been appointed/reappointe d by His Excellency the Governor to serve on various boards and committees: • Prof. Charles K . Ka o , the vice-chancellor , as chairman o f the Technology Review Bo a rd o f the Industry and Technology Development Co u n c il for the period up to 31st October 1994. • Prof. Kenneth J. Sellick, professor o f nursing, as a member of the Hospital Authority f r om 15th August 1992 to 30th No v emb er 1993. • Prof. L e u ng Ping-chung, professor of orthopaedics and traumatology, as chairman of the Occupational Safety and Health Council for thre years f r om 22nd August 1992. • Prof. Ow en L l o y d, professor o f c ommu n i ty and f am i ly medicine, as a member o f the Occupational Safety and Health Council for thre years f r om 22nd August 1992. • Dr. Leung Yee, reader in geography, as amember of the Environmenta l Pollution A d v i s o ry Committee f r om 1st September 1992 to 31st December 1993. • Prof. S.W. Tam, pro-vice-chancello r and dean of the Graduate School, as chairman of the Supplementary Me d i c al Professions Co u n c il for one year f r om 1st October 1992. • Prof. Joseph C . K. Lee, professor of anatomical nd c e l l u l ar p a t h o l o g y, as a m e m b er o f t he Supplementary Me d i c al Professions Council and as chairman of the Optometrists Board, both for a term of one year f r om 1st October 1992. • Sir Q u o - Wei Lee, chairman o f the Un i v e r s i ty Council, as a member o f the Governor's Business Council f r om 10th October 1992 to 31st December 1994. Wei Lun Lectures T wo famous scholars visited the University in December 1992 and delivered thre public lectures sponsored by the W e i L u n V i s i t i ng P r o f e s s o r s h i p / F e l l o w s h i p Programme: NEWS IN BRIEF 16