Prof John Gribben and Dr Heather Oakervee at the UK's first experimental cancer medicine centre, investigate the latest cancer treatments
Barts and The London is a leading cancer treatment and research centre, offering a full range of services for cancer patients, including pioneering new medical and surgical treatments. Reflecting this, 16 per cent of our patients are taking part in clinical trials. The centre is based at Barts Hospital and, in less than two years, the majority of its activity will move into a brand new, purpose-built facility, providing 21st-century accommodation to match the clinical quality of the services it provides.
UK’s first experimental cancer medicine centre
Barts and The London’s pioneering cancer medicine centre started treating patients in April 2008. The centre, funded jointly by a £2 million grant from the Department of Health and Cancer Research UK, aims to fast track the introduction of new cancer drugs and treatments, which currently takes an average of ten years.
Experts at the centre investigate whether the latest scientific discoveries and cancer treatments work when tested with patients and also why they work. This research, being undertaken with Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, will then allow new treatments to be developed for use across the NHS as quickly as possible.
Barts Hospital is home to our flagship cancer centre
Patients are only given the new drugs if traditional treatments have failed and only receive small doses of the medication to begin with. Participation in any clinical trial is completely voluntary and counselling is provided to ensure that patients understand exactly what they are signing up for.
Barts and The London’s experimental cancer medicine centre is one of a network of 19 across the UK.
“We are able to offer these very ill patients a last chance, and we are seeing success.” Professor of Experimental Cancer Medicine, John Gribben
Advanced blood cancer unit
Patients suffering from leukaemia and other blood cancers are now being treated in an advanced new unit, thanks to a £3.25 million grant from Barts and The London Charity. The 14-bed Bodley Scott 1 ward, which opened in September 2007, includes eight single rooms with ensuite facilities and two three-bedded bays, as well as supporting accommodation. A key feature of the new unit is the HEPA filtration system, which purifies air entering the ward, reducing the risk of patients developing airborne infections such as aspergillus. This is particularly important to protect patients whose resistance to infection is lowered due to the severity of their illness and the high-dose chemotherapy used to treat it.
The new unit complements Barts and The London’s world-class blood cancer services, which are supported by a fully-accredited stem cell laboratory. Both the new unit and the laboratory are located in Barts’ historic East Wing. Refurbishment work to the rest of the building is now nearing completion, following which all of our haematology services will be co-located under one roof, providing easier access and more co-ordinated care for patients.
Better treatment for cancerous tumours
New on-board imager allows radiotherapy staff to see an image of a cancerous tumour during the process of giving treatment
New radiotherapy equipment installed in April 2008 is improving the treatment of cancerous tumours at Barts and The London Cancer Centre. The new on-board imager allows staff to see an image of the tumour as they carry out treatment, which means that tumours can be targeted more directly and that damage to surrounding tissue can be kept to an absolute minimum.
The machine can also track changes in the shape, size and location of a tumour during a course of treatment, which might take place over several weeks. In addition, it allows staff to track and adjust for the tumour moving during a single treatment as the patient breathes in and out – again increasing its accuracy and causing the least possible damage to surrounding tissues.
Previously, our therapy radiographers had to rely on external markers on the skin and on the position of the bones to work out the correct treatment position.
The new equipment, which cost £320,000, has been funded by Barts and The London Charity.
“The new equipment has the potential to reduce side effects and boost cure rates for patients.” Head of Radiotherapy Physics, Christine Usher
Improving care for brain tumour patients
A neuro-oncology clinical nurse specialist started work at our centre in February 2008, in a new post sponsored by the charity Macmillan Cancer Support. The clinical nurse specialist meets all newly referred patients and provides an ongoing point of contact for patients and their relatives, ensuring they have the information and support they need.
Twice-monthly multidisciplinary team meetings have also been introduced to bring together several different specialists. The meetings provide a forum for discussion about newly diagnosed and recurrent cases, including referrals from other teams dealing with patients suffering from others types of cancer who have developed metastases to the brain. Cross-specialist communication and decision-making is further supported by close links between this team and the supra-specialist gamma knife multidisciplinary team (see page 24).
Also this year, the team has introduced a weekly combined neuro-oncology clinic, which means that patients with brain tumours and cerebral metastases can be seen on the same morning by both neurosurgery and/or oncology/radiotherapy consultants, as required. This greatly improves communications between specialties and the speed at which patients can be booked for any post-operative treatment, such as radiotherapy or chemotherapy.
Better detection of breast cancer
Our digital mammography machines screen patients for breast cancer. Pictured above are breast cancer cells dividing
Barts and The London Cancer Centre led the way in introducing some digital mammography machines to screen patients on the NHS for breast cancer – a technology that the government announced that they planned to extend to other units in December 2007.
Our purpose-designed breast care centre is one of only four units across the NHS to use digital machines for breast assessments, which can pick up twice as many tumours as traditional screenings. Patients at the centre also benefit from leading-edge surgical, onco-plastic and radiotherapy techniques in a calming and sensitive environment.
For more information about our cancer services, please visit our dedicated website at www.bartsandthelondon.nhs.uk/cancercentre |