Radiotherapy results in side-effects due to normal tissues and organs receiving radiation. Modern radiotherapy is much more targeted than that given previously, but it is still not possible to completely avoid normal tissues.
Short-term side-effects build up during radiotherapy, and settle over the first few weeks to months following radiotherapy. Longer-term side-effects can develop many years later and are termed 'late effects', officially defined as side-effects that occur over three months after completion of radiotherapy.
Late effects can develop in any of the body organs, depending on the area of the body treated with radiotherapy. The radiotherapy field, technique and dose fractionation can all impact on the type and severity of late effects.
The OUH Macmillan Late Effects Service aims to support people to live well with the late effects of radiotherapy. We provide specialist advice and management to reduce the impact of late effects, through face to face clinics, telephone and video consultations to suit individual needs.
Find us and contact us
We are based in the Radiotherapy Department at the Churchill Hospital in Oxford.
How to find the Churchill Hospital
We run clinics in our satellite radiotherapy centres in Swindon on the Great Western Hospital grounds and on the ground of the Milton Keynes University Hospital.
Our clinic days are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 8.00am - 4.00pm.
Contact us
Email: RadiotherapyLateEffectsService@ouh.nhs.uk
Tel: 01865 225276
Referrals
OUH Macmillan Late Effects Service referrals
Our team
Pictured from left: Jan Bornschein, Marios Spindler, Rebecca Shakir, Sinéad Sullivan, and Mitch Sharman-Else
Our team includes:
- Consultant Therapeutic Radiographer
- Advanced Practice Therapeutic Radiographers
- Navigator / Support worker
- Clinical Oncology Consultant
- Gastroenterology Consultant
Therapeutic Radiographers
- Mitch Sharman-Else
- Marios Spindler
- Sinéad Sullivan
The Therapeutic Radiographers have many years' experience of radiotherapy treatment across a variety of hospital settings, with expert knowledge of radiotherapy acute side-effects, on-treatment review, and information and support through the radiotherapy treatment journey.
The team is supported by the Navigator for patient contact, administration and co-ordination.
Clinical Oncology and Gastroenterology Consultants
- Jan Bornschein
- Rebecca Shakir
The Clinical Oncology and Gastroenterology Consultants complete the multidisciplinary aspect of the team. Well established and experts in their field they offer advice, guidance and clinical discussion in supporting the patients.
Dr Jan Bornschein
Dr Jan Bornschein is a Consultant Gastroenterologist with special interest in gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary oncology.
Since 2019 he has led a special clinic for gastrointestinal side-effects of cancer treatment at the Churchill Hospital. He is also a co-author and section-lead on the national guideline on this topic.
Dr Rebecca Shakir
Dr Rebecca Shakir is a Consultant Clinical Oncologist at the Churchill Hospital. She has a specialist interest in the care of people with late effects from radiotherapy, having completed a PhD in this area in 2022.
In addition to being part of the Adult Radiotherapy Late Effects Service, Rebecca also works as part of the Paediatric and Young Adult Late Effects Service in Oxford.
Patient Representatives
Dafydd and Sarah
Quotes from our Patient Representatives
"I feel very honoured to have been involved as one of the patient representatives in the establishment of the OUH Macmillan Late Effects Service and expect that it will play an important part in providing essential information, advice and active help for patients before, during and following their radiotherapy."
"I believe that introducing a late effects service to offer patients help, no matter how many years after treatment, is a huge step towards this goal and I am proud to be able to play a small part in its development."
Patient feedback
From a patient under the care of the OUH Macmillan Late Effects Service
Really helpful. Initially just reassurance that what I was experiencing was very normal for radiotherapy consequences. Having dedicated time to talk openly about these problems was also so reassuring. The team have provided advice on changes I can make and also suggested tests to rule out other problems.
"Keep going please. There must be so many people who are suffering in silence who could benefit from this one-to-one service. It has been so so helpful, thank you."
Links
Children's service
Aftercare and Late Effects Service - Children's Haematology and Oncology
