A new cancer treatment that `zaps' away tumours using electrical pulses is being pioneered at Melbourne's Alfred Hospital.

In animal tests it completely destroyed tumours within a fortnight, with little or no damage to the surrounding tissue.

This month Melbourne's The Alfred hospital became the first hospital in the world to test the technique on human liver and kidney cancer patients.

Thomas Monaghan, 81, of Bacchus Marsh, said he felt he could "jump over the moon" the day after the operation on a mandarin-sized tumour in his kidney.

A previous operation for bladder cancer had left him weak, tender and bed-ridden for days.

However this operation required just a band-aid, and he felt no pain or after-effects whatsoever.

A follow-up scan in two weeks' time will determine how successful the operation has been.

More @ http://www.theage.com.au/national/cancer-t...81124-6fie.html