Ashya King 'cancer-free' following treatment not available on the NHS, his parents say

FIVE-YEAR-OLD Ashya King has been declared cancer-free after receiving controversial treatment not available on the NHS, his parents have said.

ashya king and his parents IG

Ashya King and his parents Brett and Nagmeh

The youngster's family have spoken of his "miracle" recovery as his father Brett King claimed that a recent scan showed "no evidence" of a tumour.

Ashya, who was diagnosed with brain cancer eight months ago, was at the centre of an international manhunt last August after he was removed by his parents from a hospital in Southampton.

The family had fled abroad to seek pioneering proton beam therapy treatment, which is currently not available in the NHS.

Speaking six months following the start of their son's treatment at the Proton Therapy Centre (PTC) in Prague, his mother Nagmeh, alongside her husband Brett, described his recovery as incredible.

She told The Sun: "If we had left Ashya with the NHS in Britain, he would not be with us today. He was too weak and would not have survived."

ashya kingAP

Ashya was treated using proton beam therapy

The Kings were arrested in Spain last August and spent several nights in prison away from their son, before being released following a public outcry.

A High Court judge approved the move to take Ashya to Prague for proton therapy treatment, which the PTC said is more effective than the radiotherapy the sick youngster was being offered in Britain.

Ashya's father Brett said his son's condition now justifies their long battle and actions in taking him from Southampton General Hospital to Spain, where they have a holiday home.

If we had left Ashya with the NHS in Britain, he would not be with us today. He was too weak and would not have survived

Nagmeh King

He said: "We have saved his life", adding that they would do the same thing again if they felt they had to.

Proton therapy treatment limits the damage of radiation to other vital organs.

The revolutionary treatment would decrease the dose to other parts of the body, including the heart, liver and intestines and trachea by up to 80 per cent, the PTC said.

This would lead to less severe long-term side-effects including heart and breathing problems.

While the treatment was not available for him on the NHS, the health service later agreed to fund Ashya's treatment.

The family, who have previously spoken of their apprehension over returning to the UK for fear social services would get involved, are staying in Marbella where Ashya will continue his recovery.

The Sun quoted a report from the PTC which stated that the oncology department "could speculate that Proton Therapy received could be sufficient to sterilise sites of possible future relapses of the tumour and chemotherapy could deteriorate the quality of life of Ashya".

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