Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy destroys the DNA inside cancer cells to prevent them from reproducing, by using high-energy beams (X-Rays) or radiation.

Radiotherapy can be used to destroy tumours, to shrink tumours before surgery, or to kill off remaining cancer cells after surgery or chemotherapy. It is also used to treat the symptoms and control the spread of cancer.

Our radiotherapy partnership with GenesisCare, means that we can offer some of the most advanced radiotherapy treatments available today, including Gamma Knife Icon for brain and spinal tumours and Varian Edge for all tumour types, including stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) for all body sites.

The centre, housed on-site at Cromwell Hospital, also includes the MRIdian MR Linac, a state-of-the-art system that combines an MRI scanner with a radiotherapy machine. This makes it possible to treat inoperable tumours in the liver, pancreas and other organs with extreme precision, as well as reducing treatment time for other cancers by more than half, and minimising side effects.

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Types of radiotherapy

  • External beam radiotherapy: x-rays given from outside your body, using a radiotherapy machine.
  • Internal radiotherapy: a small amount of radioactive material is placed inside your body to treat cancers in your internal organs.

Both types can be given as outpatient procedures, or are carried out as part of wider inpatient cancer treatments.

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Other advancements

Together with advanced radiotherapy technologies, the centre also includes innovative organ-sparing treatment, advanced computer imaging and sophisticated AI planning systems, which means personalised treatment plans can be started within days of diagnosis for all cancer types.

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Varian Edge state-of-the-art radiotherapy

The Varian Edge provides very precise radiotherapy. It is designed for stereotactic brain and spinal radiosurgery, as well as stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) which is used for small tumours elsewhere in the body and Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy, a highly versatile treatment for a wide range of cancer types.

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Varian Edge radiotherapy machine

Gamma Knife Icon radiosurgery

Despite the name, Gamma Knife Icon treatment does not involve surgery. Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is an effective treatment for single and multiple brain metastases, which can occur as secondary tumours in patients with cancers such as melanoma, breast and lung cancers. SRS uses powerful beams of radiation to destroy cancer cells in a few short treatments. It is often called ‘brain-sparing’ surgery because of its ability to protect healthy brain tissue and preserve quality of life in people needing treatment for brain tumours.

The new Gamma Knife Icon is one of the most advanced systems for this type of intracranial (brain) surgery.

Gamma Knife Icon is also used to treat benign brain tumours such as meningiomas, acoustic neuromas and primary pituitary tumours and other non-cancerous brain conditions.

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MRIdian MRI-guided radiotherapy

Cromwell Hospital is the first hospital in London and the second in the UK to use The MRI-Guided Linac technology.

The MRI-Guided Linac is a technological step change in radiotherapy that significantly improves outcomes through more precise targeting of tumours, including those of the pancreas, liver, lung, prostate and breast. The MRIdian is a state-of-the-art system that combines an MRI scanner with a radiotherapy machine, thus enabling the exact position and shape of the tumour to be seen throughout the treatment, resulting in heightened targeting and accuracy.

With improved accuracy, there is less damage to surrounding healthy tissue and subsequently reduced side effects. For most patients, it will also reduce the number of treatment sessions by half.

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Why choose us?

  • Advanced radiotherapy offered as standard through our partners GenesisCare – the UK’s leading private providers of radiotherapy
  • Extensive team – your consultant will work with our expert radiotherapists, nurses and other specialists as part of multidisciplinary teams throughout the hospital.
  • State-of-the-art diagnostic imaging – including onsite MRI, PET/CT, and CT reported by specialist radiologists.
  • Fully equipped to diagnose and treat a diverse range of cancers including complex cases.
  • Complementary wellbeing therapies for radiotherapy patients, in partnership with Penny Brohn UK
  • Personalised exercise medicine programme tailored to radiotherapy patients for their treatment
  • Central London location – easily accessible by train and The London Underground.

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Private oncologists in London

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Dr Alison Falconer

/ Consultant Clinical Oncologist

Clinical oncology, Brain/CNS, Urology

Clinical interests: Urological cancer and neuro-oncology.

Languages spoken: English

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Dr Andrew Gaya

/ Consultant Clinical Oncologist

Clinical oncology, Brain/CNS, Colon, Hepatobiliary, Lower GI, Upper GI

Clinical interests: Gastrointestinal malignancies (oesophagus, stomach, liver, pancreas, colon, rectum, anal); stereotactic radiotherapy and radiosurgery (Gamma knife, Cyberknife, MRI Linac); chemotherapy, biologicals and immunotherapy; molecular and genetic profiling of cancers.

Languages spoken: English

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Dr Vincent Khoo

/ Consultant Clinical Oncologist

Clinical oncology

Clinical interests: Prostate, bladder, kidney, testis, penile cancer

Languages spoken: English

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Dr Charles Lowdell

/ Consultant Clinical Oncologist

Clinical radiology

Clinical interests: Breast, GI, lung and general oncology

Languages spoken: English

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Dr Stephen Mangar

/ Consultant Clinical Oncologist

Clinical oncology

Clinical interests: Urological cancer, chemoradiotherapy for lung cancer

Languages spoken: English

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Dr George Mikhaeel

/ Consultant Clinical Oncologist

Clinical oncology, Haematological

Clinical interests: Lymphomas, gastrointestinal, lung malignancies

Languages spoken: Arabic/English

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Dr Stephen Morris

/ Consultant Clinical Oncologist

Clinical oncology, Skin, Urology

Clinical interests: Urological cancers (with a special interest in brachytherapy and external beam radiotherapy for prostate cancer). Skin cancers (with a specialist interest in primary cutaneous lymphoma)

Languages spoken: English

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Dr Katie Newbold

/ Consultant Clinical Oncologist

Clinical oncology

Clinical interests: Management of thyroid cancer, radioiodine and targeted therapies (tyrosine kinase inhibitors). Management of head and neck cancers using radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Languages spoken: English

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Prof Christopher Nutting

/ Consultant Clinical Oncologist

Clinical oncology

Clinical interests: Head and Neck Cancer, Thyroid Cancer, Lung Cancer, Cyberknife, Proton Beam Therapy, Chemotherapy

Languages spoken: English

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Dr Nick Plowman

/ Consultant Clinical Oncologist

Clinical oncology

Clinical interests: Brain (stereotactic radiosurgery), tumours and childhood tumours, focal radiation methods.

Languages spoken: English

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Found 15 related consultants, showing page 1 of 2

Paying for your treatment

We welcome both self-paying and insured patients.

Self-pay patients

We offer several ways for patients to self-pay, including pay-as-you-go and self-pay packages.

Find out more about self-pay >

Insured patients

At Cromwell Hospital, we accept private health insurance from most major providers, including AXA, Aviva, Bupa and Vitality.
Find out more about paying with insurance >
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Our locations

Cromwell Hospital

Cromwell Hospital

164-178 Cromwell Road
London SW5 0TU
United Kingdom

+44 (0)20 7460 5700

More about Cromwell Hospital >
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Book an appointment today

Our telephone lines are open 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 2pm Saturdays.

Please note - regrettably we are unable to answer specific medical questions or offer medical advice via email or telephone.