The Children’s University Hospital in Banská Bystrica is developing its own genetic diagnostics and laboratory facilities for paediatric oncology. Tests currently carried out mainly abroad could soon be performed directly at the hospital, providing results several times faster and at a lower cost.
Around 200 children are diagnosed with cancer in Slovakia every year, with about a quarter treated in Banská Bystrica. The new diagnostics should help doctors identify genetic predispositions and select more targeted treatments with fewer side effects. So far, the new method has been tested on 16 patients.
The hospital also plans to modernise its infusion equipment to reduce the frequent alarms that disturb young patients, particularly during sleep. Both projects will be developed with the support of the Svetielko nádeje association.
Source: TASR
