Oesophageal cancer: 'Robotic technology is the way forward'

"I had absolutely no fear of robots" - that was William Duncan's reaction when he was offered robotic surgery to remove cancer in his oesophagus. The former engineer was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in October 2025. His cancer was caught early, so when his consultant said they could "deal with this robotically" William said he did not need time to think about it. A few months later, the 59-year-old became the first person in Northern Ireland to have his cancer removed in an oesophagectomy using robotic assisted surgery. Traditionally the procedure is performed through open surgery, leaving much larger wounds, increased risk of infection and pain. Robotic assisted surgery has benefits for patients over previous techniques, including reduced pain and blood loss, shorter hospital stays and quicker recovery times. Coming from an engineering background, William, from Douglas Bridge in County Tyrone, said he had no reservations going for the robotic surgery. "I've worked with robots, so I knew that robotic technology is the way forward. "In fact, I was privileged to be given the opportunity for it," he said. Symptoms of oesophageal cancer can affect your digestion, but they might be