Treatments For Your Cancer

We say that we offer the most advanced cancer treatment available in the world. But what does this really mean?

Our Treatment Protocols

We always use the best international treatment protocols for our patients. Protocols is the term used to describe the definitions of accepted Best Practice, defined on the basis of the very best expert opinion and research. These have usually been developed in the leading cancer centre's in the world and have been reviewed by the most highly regarded international experts (this is what is known as the peer review process).

Latest Treatments

Sometimes these protocols (or treatment definitions) may differ from the United Kingdom national guidelines. Drugs will not always have been approved by NICE (National Institute of Clinical Excellence and Cost Effectiveness) for use in the Health Service.

Some of these drugs may nevertheless be in general use in other types of cancer treatment and their side effects and problems will often be well known to us. At other times drugs may be registered in other countries, for example in the United States of America, where they may have been approved by the FDA, but not yet registered in the EU or the United Kingdom.

If the treatment is acknowledged internationally as a step forward but is not registered in this country, we will make every effort to obtain it for our patients, and we will often be able to access the drug.

On some occasions there can be compelling evidence of a major advance as a result of large trials, and yet the final drug approval process can take many more months. In those circumstances we will again strive to obtain the drug for our patients as soon as is possible.

Continual Up-dates

We are all totally committed to tracking and following the best research results and applying the benefits of these research advances to treatments for those in our care.

If you want to know more about drug trials, ask your consultant who will advise you on what is relevant to your situation, or if you want to search yourself, go to the Trials section on the Cancerbackup website.