Cancer Services

A wide range of healthcare professionals are involved in diagnosing, treating and caring for people who have cancer.

And we provide the highest quality services to our patients across Sandwell and West Birmingham so that their immediate and long term health needs are met.

These include: 

• Diagnostic tests
• Day care
• Outpatient services for all cancer types.

More information on Cancer Support Services can be found by going to the following link: www.swbh.nhs.uk/services/cancer-support-services

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Services

We ensure all patients with a suspected or confirmed diagnosis of cancer are seen quickly, and receive prompt appointments for any tests and treatment. We treat all patients as individuals, and involve them in deciding their treatment and where it is provided. We make sure that patients are provided with the information they need to understand their condition, and what the likely outcomes will be.

We have specialist teams made up of various healthcare professionals who provide treatment and care at both Sandwell and City Hospitals. 

The Haematology Service

This is based at City Hospital. Patients who need radiotherapy and chemotherapy will be treated either at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham or at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton. 

The Lymphoedema Service
The lymphoedema Service is available to all adults with a Birmingham or Sandwell GP, with a chronic oedema (abnormal swelling encountered by some cancer patients) or who are at risk of developing a chronic oedema requiring an assessment, diagnosis and management plan. 

Breast Cancer Unit

The department is  based at the Birmingham Treatment Centre at City Hospital and provides rapid Access Breast clinics for urgent and routine assessment of breast symptoms. Additional clinics include follow-up and results clinics and also family history clinics. For more information go to: www.swbh.nhs.uk/services/breast-unit/

Lung Cancer

This service is based at City Hospital’s Birmingham Treatment Centre. Patients will undergo  tests and investigations, outpatient appointments and be able to access support. Read more here: www.swbh.nhs.uk/services/respiratory/

Urology
We offer referrals into the Haematuria clinics (blood in urine), at City and Sandwell Hospitals as well as prostate biopsies once patients have been referred via their GP.  
Our team also investigate and treat kidney, testicular and penile cancer. However, patients may be referred to regional cancer centres for testicular and penile cancer, once diagnosis is confirmed. Read more here: www.swbh.nhs.uk/services/urology/

Upper GI,  Lower GI, and Liver cancer
We diagnosis patients with gastrointestinal cancer. Meetings are held weekly for colorectal, upper GI and hepatobiliary malignancy with specialist nurses and support for each. The gastroenterology team works closely with the upper GI surgeons at the Trust and at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham for upper GI cancer, and the liver physicians and hepatobiliary surgeons at the Queen Elizabeth Liver Unit to care for patients with pancreatic and hepatobiliary cancer. Read more here: www.swbh.nhs.uk/services/gastroenterology/

Gynaeoncology

City Hospital, Birmingham is the site of the pan-Birmingham Gynaecological Cancer Centre. Read more here: www.swbh.nhs.uk/services/gynaecological-cancer/

Head and Neck
This service investigates all lumps, tumours or other conditions of the head and neck, whether they are malignant (cancerous) or benign (non-cancerous). Read more information here: www.swbh.nhs.uk/services/ear-nose-and-throat/

Skin
Most types of skin cancer can be treated if detected early enough. Our Dermatology Department operates a weekly skin cancer screening clinic with just a two-week wait. Patients can also be referred to consultant radiotherapists (specialists in radiation treatment) or oncologists (specialist cancer doctors). Read more here: www.swbh.nhs.uk/services/dermatology/

Patient Stories

 Cancer and I – The personal story of Leah Ferris

Many young women think cervical screening tests unimportant, in the belief that the likelihood of developing cervical cancer is low for them, and that was what 28-year-old Leah Ferris thought, until she experienced unusual symptoms which drove her to seek her GP’s advice.

 A mother-of-two, Leah discovered she had early stage cervical cancer in late July 2015, not long after the birth of her second child. Concerns were raised when Leah experienced changes in her monthly cycle, which she initially put down to the birth, as her daughter was only five months at this time. She assumed the changes were due to hormones so did not take any action. However, when her symptoms persisted over several more months, a nervous Leah went to her GP to book a smear test.

After her smear test, Leah received news that the ‘cells were abnormal’. She explained: “I went for a test to see if I was suitable to have a fairly simple procedure to remove the abnormal cells, but unfortunately, this process wasn’t suitable for me as the cancer had spread too far.” Leah received the news about her cancer at Sandwell Hospital, where she spoke to a specialist regarding her biopsy results.

On discovering she had cancer, Leah said she was in denial at the beginning as she considered herself too young to have the illness, and had no family history – despite knowing it was not a genetic illness. However, when it eventually sank in she felt extremely frightened for her children and also blamed herself as she could have reduced the risks by going for regular check-ups instead of ignoring them. Leah claimed that the hardest time during her experience was the waiting period between having the biopsy done and waiting for the results, those two weeks felt like a very long time. She said: “It felt like I was waiting for someone to decide my fate and tell me what was happening to me.”

Despite this, she felt extremely lucky in comparison to others as her treatment began in August and ended in November, as some people can suffer for years and their treatment can last a very long time.

Leah’s main treatment took place at City Hospital, where she received a biopsy under general anaesthetic, followed by a full hysterectomy. Leah said that staff from the cancer services were extremely helpful, providing leaflets which included useful information about her cancer and treatment. There was also a cancer nurse available at every meeting with the specialist. She said: “If I ever had any questions or issues there was always someone available that I could call, and one member of staff in particular was there for me, as I knew I could speak to her whenever I needed to”.

Leah found staff at both Sandwell and City Hospital extremely supportive even after her treatment. She added: “I would like to thank all the staff that I dealt with, in particular the specialist Macmillan nurse and my surgeon, there’s no words to explain the depth of gratitude to someone who you feel have saved your life, but if there is something I can say then I would really like to thank them for what they did for me”.

Leah continued: “I recommend City Hospital to anyone as I was very pleased with the treatment I received, the surgeon I dealt with was extremely experienced and helpful. I felt as safe as I could be.”

Dr Janos Balega, gynaecological oncologist at Sandwell and West Birmingham  NHS Trust, said: “We are pleased that the treatment for Leah was successful and we helped her return to her normal life.

“The importance of taking regular smear tests is tremendous. The tests help us to identify pre-cancerous cells so we can perform small operations to prevent actual cancer.”