UK’s first liver transplant for bowel cancer deemed a success

Dr Ian Rowe, honorary consultant hepatologist at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “I’m delighted Bianca has responded so well to the treatment and that she is now cancer-free.

“We are, of course, indebted to the family of the organ donor – as is made clear with Bianca’s case, organ donation saves lives.”

He also sounded a cautionary note, however.

“I think hope is important but the reality is this will be a treatment for a small proportion of people.

“For those people it will be the right thing, and we think it will work well.

“The number of people who have been transplanted like this is still very small internationally so we are all still learning about what those rules should be.

“In time they will change and we will learn which patients will do better so we can pick those people better.”

An NHS Blood and Transplant spokesman said: “The waiting list for an organ transplant is the highest it has been in a decade.”

He said organ donation “saves lives” and described donors and their families as “truly inspirational”.

He said he hoped “the story of the donation that changed Bianca’s life will inspire people to confirm their decision to donate on the NHS Organ Donor Register – it means your family will be certain that you want to be an organ donor.”