The Interventional Oncology Service (IOS) at University College London Hospital (UCLH) is committed to improving the experience and outcomes for patients with cancer through cutting edge image guided interventions.
We aim to provide the latest minimally invasive cancer therapy and multidisciplinary supportive care to patients who are referred from regional centres and across the UK. Our service comprises four main elements: percutaneous tumour ablation, intra-arterial therapies, image-guided pain management and complex vascular access (implanted ports and Hickman lines for delivery of chemotherapy, antibiotics or nutrition).
Services
- Tumour ablation using radiofrequency, microwave, cryoablation and irreversible electroporation
- Supportive care (pain control and vascular access) for all cancer patients
- Intra-arterial therapies
General enquiries
Service management
Dr Steve Bandula
Other contact information
Clinical Nurse Specialists - Analie Morales and Alfred Tan
Telephone: 07904 674 635
Service Co-ordinators – Nasirul (Nik) Kazi and Lina Lopez-Hegarty
Telephone: 020 3447 3255
Email: uclh.ios@nhs.net
Address
Interventional Oncology Service
University College Hospital
2nd floor tower
235 Euston Road
London, NW1 2BU
Referral
Other referral information
Telephone: 020 3447 9070 (secretaries), 020 3447 0242 (coordinators)
For urgent referral, we strongly recommend that you send your scanned referral letter via email to avoid delay. The “ios email inbox” is being monitored on a regular basis.
We accept referrals from local centres and from across the UK.
Referral address
Interventional Oncology Service
Imaging Department
University College Hospital
2nd Floor Podium
235 Euston Road
London, NW1 2BU
The interventional oncology service undertakes approximately 150 cancer ablation treatments and 120 image-guided procedures for pain each year.
Patients referred to the service are seen at our outpatient clinic in the Macmillan Centre before and after treatment.
Our team comprises Consultant Interventional Radiologists and Anesthetists who delivery treatments, supported by a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), advanced Radiolographers and a service coordinator. We work in partnership with the Acute Oncology Service, Palliative Care and a range of cancer specialists at UCLH.
Ablation involves destroying tumours using probes inserted through the skin. Extreme heat or cold are used to kill the cancer cells. The procedure is usually performed under general anaesthesia, and as there is no surgical incision, patients tend to spend a lot less time in hospital after an ablation compared with conventional surgery. Please see our patient information sheets on microwave and cryoablation and links on the right for more information on ablation.
Procedures are performed to alleviate the pain associate with cancer, by targeting the nerves to that area. These nerves can be destroyed by heat or drugs; or anaesthetic agents injected around the nerves to stop them working. A device can also be implanted under the skin which blocks the function of these nerves. These procedures are guided with imaging such as ultrasound and CT.
These procedures target tumours via their blood vessels. A small tube (catheter) is inserted through the groin and positioned in the artery that supplies the tumour. Chemotherapeutic drugs, or radiotherapy releasing particles can then be released into the tumour.
For more information please see our patient information sheets on ‘drug eluting bead trans-arterial chemo-embolisation’ (DEB-TACE and ‘selective internal radiotherapy’ (SIRT).
The majority of patients undergoing IOS cancer treatment will spend one night in hospital before discharge. Patients are reviewed in clinic four weeks after treatment to ensure they have made a full recovery and for review of their first post-treatment scans. Subsequent follow-up will depend on the individual patient, but those undergoing cryoablation of kidney tumours are seen annually for up to 10 years.
Throughout their journey with us, our patients are supported by a dedicated clinical nurse specialist (CNS) and service coordinator. There is also a Macmillan Advice Centre within the new UCH Macmillan Cancer Centre providing support and advice to patients and relatives on cancer related issues.
The Interventional Oncology Service and UCL Centre for Medical Imaging run a programme of research developing cutting-edge therapies and the latest forms of imaging for cancer. Patients may be invited to participate in clinical trials.
Patient feedback
"Very satisfied with the treatment in this dept. Drs and nurses made me feel very comfortable and informed throughout. Thank you."
"I was pleased with the service. It was certainly much better than having the tumour excised."
"I was extremely happy and comforted by the care I received. Thanks."
"Everything before during and after the procedure was everything I could have asked for."
"It is not often you feel as good as I did on a hospital visit. After six months of stress/worry with other hospitals, I was all fixed on one visit here. You were all so helpful, full of positivity, friendly and it really makes all the difference. I can’t say enough good things."
"The whole experience has been one of the best medical care packages I have received."
"Very good treatment from start to finish."
