Acute Oncology

Acute Oncology aims to provide a co-ordinated approach to the care of cancer patients who attend hospital after becoming acutely unwell with related side effects of cancer treatment, or as a direct result of their cancer.

The Acute Oncology team consists of:

• Acute Oncology Team Leader
• Acute Oncology/ Cancer of Unknown Primary (CUP) Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)
• Acute Oncology Clinical Support Worker (CSW)
• Medical oncologists (visiting from Clatterbridge Cancer Centre)
• Nurse consultant (visiting from Clatterbridge Cancer Centre).

Acute Oncology cancer nurse specialists help guide and navigate the side effects of cancer and its treatment in liaison with the Trust’s specialist teams and the patient.

Acute Oncology is a national initiative influenced by guidelines created by the National Chemotherapy Advisory Group (NCAG) to improve the care received by those patients who have:

• Cancer of unknown primary (diagnosed metastatic cancer but unable to detect where it originated)
• Side effects from chemotherapy/ immunotherapy treatments. Also known as Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy (SACT).   These could include: neutropenic sepsis, immunotherapy related side effects and radiotherapy skin induced problems
• Metastatic disease from a known primary cancer (previous cancer which has now spread). Oncology emergencies such as MSCC (Metastatic Spinal Cord Compression), SVCO (Superior Vena Cava Obstruction), hypercalcemia (high Calcium), brain metastasis and progression of cancer.

Our services provide:

• Guidance for all teams in LUHFT who may need specialist cancer advice regarding treatment side effects and cancer pathways.
• Support for patients and families who need a prompt resolution to problems caused by SACT.
• Reduction in the number of unnecessary procedures undertaken for investigations into cancer.
• Service development for improvement of the patient journey through LUHFT.