Gynaecological cancer comprises ovarian, cervical, endometrial, vaginal and vulval cancer, and together this represents a significant proportion of morbidity and mortality in women with cancer. Management of these tumours types require a multidisciplinary team approach and our clinical research programme is organised in such a way as to reflect this. Specifically, it is structured around the South West London Cancer Network.
The Gynaecology Unit continues to make contributions to research questions across a range of diseases. In ovarian cancer, they mostly involve chemotherapy in advanced disease. Increasingly this includes patients whose disease has relapsed following first-line treatment, as data show that following relapse, patients can expect an extended survival period with further treatment. In endometrial cancer, an important national study is currently assessing the role of both radiotherapy and extended surgery after conventional hysterectomy. The Royal Marsden is one of the largest contributors to this trial. In surgery, we are also examining the role of lymph node dissection in the management of vulval cancer, and in radiotherapy we are examining patterns of bowel toxicity following treatment.
Interactions with the laboratory are a very important feature of our work, particularly those that help us to better understand why (ovarian) cancer cells become resistant to drug treatment and thus direct us towards improvements in chemotherapy.
Special features of the unit
The Unit has been recognised for many years by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) as an approved Training Centre for gynaecological oncology. There are two surgical Fellows. The first year of the training is in St. Bartholomew’s Hospital and the second year in RMH. This year a further Fellowship Programme has been approved by the RCOG, based at St. George’s hospital and RMH.
Staff
Head of Unit
D P Barton MD, FRCSEd, MRCOG, FACOG
Consultants
P Blake MD FRCR
J Bridges FRCOG FRCS
M E Gore PhD FRCP
K Harrington PhD, MRCP
T Ind FRCS MRCOG
S B Kaye MD FRCP FRSE
J H Shepherd FRCOG FRCS
R.C.O.G Fellows in Gynaecological Oncology
Mr Khalil Razvi
Mr Roberto Tozzi
Research Fellows
R Agarwal MRCP
M Forster MRCP
S Popat MRCP
E Timotheadou