Newsletter No. 36

CUHK Newsletter No36 November 1992 CUHK to Celebrate 30th Ann i versary The Un i ve r s i ty w i l l celebrate its 30th anniversary in 1993, and a 30th Anniversary Celebrations Planning and Steering Committee has been appointed with Prof. S. W. Tam, pro-vice-chancellor of the University, as chairman. Sub-committees comprising representatives of students, staff and alumni have also been set up to plan and organize different celebration activities, Sub-Committee on Anniversary Lectures & Symposia Anniversary Dinner Anniversary Conceit Exhibition Souvenirs Walkathon CUHK History which include seven anniversary lectures, 10 international conferences, a d i nne r, an e x h i b i t i o n, a concert, an open day and a walkathon. A special publication on the history of the University and a collection of souvenir items specially designed for the 30th anniversary will also be produced. Convener Prof. Ambrose King Mrs. Gwen Kao Dr. Philip Shen Prof. Kenneth Young Prof. C. N. Chen Mr. D. A. Gilkes Dr. Alice N. H. Ng Appeal for Historical Photos for 30th Anniversary Exhibition To commemorate the University's 30th anniversary in 1993, an Anniversary Exhibition will be held from 26th to 29th March 1993 in the Exhibition Hall of the City Hall. The organizing committee now appeal for photographs of the campus and personages of the University in its early days. Members of the University as well as alumni and friends who may possess such photographs are requested to contact Miss Joanna Poon at 6096369 as soon as possible. New Technique to Treat Nasopharyngeal Cancer T he Department of Surgery has succeeded in using photosensitive drugs and lasers to treat patients with nasopharyngeal cancer. Nasopharyngeal cancer is the second most common cancer in Hong Kong, affecting people of a younger age group. This kind of tumour usually grows at the back of the nose and until now the only treatment available has been radiation therapy, which is not always effective. A new treatment programme, photodynamic therapy (PDT), has recently been introduced at the Prince of Wales Hospital under the leadership of Dr. C. A. Van Hasselt of the Department of Surgery. The programme is run in conjunction with the Department of Radiotherapy of the hospital. Patients who have failed to respond to the conventional radiation therapy will first be injected with a tumour-seeking drug, which will concentrate in the tumour. Light energy from a Gold Vapour Laser is then transmitted to the tumour site at the back of the nose by a fibre-optic system to activate the drug. This 'switching on’ of the drug causes the release of active components which are lethal to the cancer cells but harmless to the surrounding normal tissues of the body. Doctors have found that nasopharyngeal tumours are extremely sensitive to PDT, and so far no trace of cancer cells can be found at any of the sites treated. Several thousand patients with a wide variety of malignant tumours in different parts of the body have been similarly treated worldwide, with most encouraging results. The technique has been shown to be effective in curing a wide range of cancers. Funding for this expensive programme has been provided by a most generous donation from the Shaw Foundation. The Gold Vapour Laser and tumour-seeking drugs have been ordered from Australia. 2