Overview

Radiotherapy

The team in charge of your treatment will tell you if you need radiotherapy.

We provide radiotherapy at the Cancer Centre at Guy's and Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup.

Our radiotherapy village at the Cancer Centre at Guy's is the first place in Europe to have radiotherapy machines above ground level. This helps to provide a lighter, more relaxing environment. Radiotherapy is usually given below ground.

The treatment suite offers a quiet environment and you can listen to music to help you relax.

You might be able to have radiotherapy closer to home at Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup. Please speak to your medical team if you'd like to be treated there.

About radiotherapy treatment

Radiotherapy uses high energy X-rays (or similar rays) to treat cancer.

It damages your body's cells in the treatment area, killing cancer cells but allowing your normal cells to recover.

Side effects are usually only in the area that you are having treatment. 

Treatment and side effects vary depending on which part of your body is being treated. Our radiotherapy team can give you more information.

Treatment takes place over a number of days or weeks. This is so you only get small doses (fractions) of radiation. Your doctor will decide the amount of radiation and how many treatments you need.

Radiotherapy for benign conditions

Radiotherapy can also be used to treat benign (non-cancerous) tumours and conditions. Your medical team can provide more information on this.

Health information

Dimbleby Cancer Care can provide support and advice during your cancer treatment.

Team

Our team includes:

  • therapeutic radiographers
  • doctors
  • nurses
  • medical physicists
  • radiotherapy physics dosimetrists

They will support you during your radiotherapy.

A clinical oncologist is a cancer doctor trained to use radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

A therapeutic radiographer gives you radiotherapy. They will help and advise during your treatment.

You'll see student radiographers in our department as we are a teaching hospital. The students are supervised by a therapeutic radiographer. Please tell your therapeutic radiographer if you do not want students to be at your appointments. We’ll always respect your choice.

Contact us

Phone

Reception (Cancer Centre at Guy's): 020 7188 7188, extensions 57542 and 57569

Reception (Queen Mary's Hospital): 020 7188 0770

Appointments: 020 7188 3160

Treatment support: 020 7188 4220

We answer the treatment support number from 8.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday. Outside of these times, you can leave a voicemail and we'll get back to you on the next working day.

Acute oncology service (AOS): 020 7188 3754

If you become unwell due to treatment side effects and need advice outside of our opening hours, please call our acute cancer service.

Email

Radiotherapy queries: [email protected]

We aim to respond to email within 1 working day.

Addresses

Guy's Cancer, radiotherapy, Guy's Hospital, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9RT

We are open from 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday

Guy's Cancer at Queen Mary's Hospital, Frognal Avenue, Sidcup, Kent DA14 6LT

We are open from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday

Do you have any comments or concerns about your care?

Contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)

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