I am anticipating starting radiotherapy soon and before my planning meeting would like to know whether it is a good idea to ask to be referred to Addenbrooke’s near Cambridge instead of what I understand to be the “default” option of Mount Vernon near Rickmansworth (I live in north Hertfordshire). Even though Addenbrooke’s is in another county it is a lot closer to me and so the journey would be a lot easier. I am rather daunted by the prospect of 15 sessions at Mount Vernon with a round trip mileage of 76 miles every day! Before asking whether I can be referred to Addenbrooke’s I would like to know whether it’s a sensible option. Any feedback from you would be very helpful. Many thanks
It might be worth finding out the wait time for both prior to deciding. Addenbrookes have a big set up there. Try googling both as well
Atat
I had my meeting with the oncologist today and so got some answers to some of my questions about IMRT therapy. Apparently IMRT is not given routinely at Mount Vernon. Their stance is that research has not yet proven it to be an improvement and so it is not yet been used for breast cancer therapy, although it is given for other types of cancer. I am afraid that I felt very sceptical when I was told this, having come across so much information on trials/research etc that recommends IMRT and that also indicates that it is more wide spread in the US and Europe. This includes a tabloidy article in the Daily Mail last July and the Breast Cancer Campaigns’s stance on it: breastcancercampaign.org/news-and-media/press-releases/charity-calls-for-widespread-access-to-imrt. and cam.ac.uk/research/news/research-to-change-how-breast-cancer-treated. I guess that IMRT will come widely available on the NHS but not yet. Anyway I have been referred to Addenbrooke’s for radiotherapy there - not because they offer IMRT (the oncologist did not know) but because it is more local, they are just as competent, and I will have the chance of a second opinion. As the research referred to in the above links was performed by Cambridge University/ Addenbrooke’s perhaps I will be in luck!
I thought it would be useful if I updated this thread, only today having had a meeting with an oncologist at Addenbrooke’s. Unfortunately my decison to “get away from it all” after my surgery (a short holiday) meant that I was not around to make sure that my referral went through smoothly. The referral got hopelessly lost and it took several faxes between to the two hospitals and lots of hassling by me for the referral to arrive successfully at Addenbrooke’s.
The two areas have slightly different approaches. My local area upped the number of RXT sessions to 18 (15 standard and 3 boosters). Addenbrookes only consider 15 sessions to be neccessary. They will give me “Simple IMRT”. The oncologist that I met was of the opinion that Mount Vernon probably do offer IMRT, so there must have been some crossed wires in terms of the terminology. When the oncologist from Mount Vernon advised me against IMRT RXT he might have been talking about something called Complext IMRT.
Apart from the stress of the added delays I am still very happy to be having the RXT at a more local hospital. The journeys will be much easier and there will be 15 instead of 18 of them!
Iola111 my choice of hospitals is same as you as I’m in South Bedfordshire on borders with north herts! Where did you have your surgery? You must have finished rads now, how did it go