Radiotherapy treatment is used to treat cancer directly and to reduce the chance of cancer coming back after surgery. It works by destroying cancer cells in the treated area, and may also be used to reduce cancer symptoms. Many people therefore have radiotherapy as part of their cancer treatment.
What is involved in having private radiotherapy?
If radiotherapy is part of your treatment plan, Spire Healthcare have access to the very latest radiotherapy techniques through our partnership with CancerPartnersUK.
The CancerPartnersUK radiotherapy facilities at Spire hospitals have been built with you in mind, with flexible appointment times in comfortable, relaxing surroundings. This is because radiotherapy can entail a daily course of treatments for anything up to six weeks.
The facilities offer the very latest generation radiotherapy treatment, Image Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT) and Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT). These have been shown to optimise the effectiveness of radiotherapy, as well as minimising side effects. This system of radiation therapy is recognised as the very latest treatment of its type anywhere in the world.
Our expert radiotherapists and clinicians are all highly experienced in cancer care and each facility is managed by a senior radiotherapist. The team will guide you through your treatment programme, answering questions and providing expert medical advice and consultation about all aspects of your cancer therapy.
If your local Spire hospital does not have an onsite radiotherapy service your oncologist will make arrangements for your treatment at a nearby radiotherapy unit. You will still be under the care of your consultant who is part of a multidisciplinary team that meets regularly to discuss your case. In this way we ensure you receive continuity of care at the same high levels throughout your treatment.
The amount of radiotherapy needed varies from patient to patient. You may only have to visit the hospital once, or you may need to have treatment daily for a number of days or weeks. Your consultant will discuss this with you in full so you know what to expect. If you are having radiotherapy treatment at a Spire hospital, you will also have the opportunity to talk about your treatment and any side effects with the nursing team before your first session of radiotherapy.
It is important that you feel supported and reassured throughout the process, so your nurses will give you a contact number for you to use any time of the day or night if you need support or advice.