The Christie Charity
The advanced pelvic malignancy service at The Christie provides specialised surgery for patients throughout Greater Manchester and Cheshire. We also receive referrals from across the UK and overseas.
The service treats patients who have been diagnosed with a cancer arising within the pelvis which has grown into other organs or structures. This is sometimes described as ‘locally advanced’. We also treat patients in whom the cancer may have returned after previous treatment, sometimes described as ‘locally recurrent’.
For example, a rectal cancer may involve the urinary system (the bladder and ureters), spine, or nerves and vessels in the pelvis. In women the reproductive organs may also be affected (ovaries, womb, cervix, and vagina), and in men the cancer may involve the prostate and/or seminal vesicles (the glands behind the bladder).
The advanced pelvic malignancy team at The Christie
The advanced pelvic malignancy team at The Christie is an experienced and specialised multidisciplinary team (MDT). When you are referred to the team, your case will be discussed in our dedicated MDT meeting on Mondays.
The core members of the advanced pelvic malignancy MDT are:
- colorectal, urological, and gynaecological surgeons
- clinical oncologists
- medical oncologists
- radiologist
- colorectal specialist nurses
- data manager
- MDT co-ordinator.
Extended members of our MDT include a team of plastic surgeons, a vascular surgeon, a spinal surgeon, a hepatobiliary (liver) surgeon, stoma care specialist nurses, physiotherapists, dieticians, a psycho-oncologist and our supportive care team.
We also hold a separate pathology MDT meeting on the last Friday of the month. This is to review test results from all our patients to provide the best opinion on whether any further oncological treatments are required after recovery from surgery.
Our team of specialists ensures that our patients benefit from some of the country’s leading clinicians, delivering the very highest standards of advanced colorectal cancer care under one roof. This includes highly specialist complex cancer surgery as well as access to all novel radiotherapy and oncology treatments. The team also use the latest technological advances to improve patient outcomes and care, including undertaking some operations robotically if appropriate. Clinical teams will discuss this with patients if it is suitable.
Our holistic service
As well as dealing with the physical effects of cancer and its treatment, patients and their families can face a number of psychological and practical challenges. We have several support services for cancer patients including our dedicated Maggie’s Centre offering information and support to anyone affected by cancer.
Patients can also access a complementary therapy service who offer different free therapies to patients and carers, and psycho-oncology support as needed. Regular patient days and our Bowel Cancer Support Group are also helpful ways to meet other patients and carers who have undergone similar treatments.
You will be followed up closely as a Christie patient after your treatment, including remote monitoring of your progress reported through our MyChristie-MyHealth platform. You will continue to have access to the team throughout this surveillance and follow-up time.
As a leading cancer centre, we will ensure you have access to research trials and studies that are appropriate for you. We are also committed to training the next generation of clinicians who join us to learn how we approach the holistic management of patients with advanced cancer.
You can download booklets on Understanding Colon Cancer and Understanding Rectal Cancer from the Macmillan website.
You can also read some of our colorectal patient stories - hear what Chris Cheetham, Kelvin Foote and Becky Maskill had to say about being a patient at the Colorectal and Peritoneal Oncology Centre at The Christie.