Urology

Treatment is dependent on the individual tumour site and the patient’s circumstances. Treatment for each individual is usually discussed at a multi-disciplinary team meeting where a treatment plan is agreed.

For prostate cancer, early disease can be managed by active surveillance, radical prostatectomy (removal of the prostate), brachytherapy (seed implant), hormone treatment and radiotherapy. For patients whose disease has spread outwith the prostate, hormone treatment, radiotherapy, radioisotope treatment, targeted treatment and chemotherapy are all considered.

For bladder cancer, local tumour resection (removal of the tumour), cystectomy (removal of the bladder), radical radiotherapy, chemotherapy and immunotherapy are used.

For testicular cancer, the mainstay of treatment includes surgery and chemotherapy. Radiotherapy is used to treat patients with early testicular seminoma.

For kidney cancer, surgery, immunotherapy and targeted treatment are used.

New treatments are becoming available at regular intervals and substantial research work is being carried out on national and international levels. The Beatson has an extensive portfolio of clinical trials for urological cancers.

Each patient is discussed at a multi-disciplinary team meeting including some of the disciplines below who work closely together to treat patients with urological cancers. The team is involved with the Managed Clinical Network for Urological Cancers in the West of Scotland. The aim of this group is to define optimum standards of health care for people in this area.

The team includes:

Urologists

Surgeons who specialise in treating genito-urinary conditions.

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Clinical Oncologists

Doctors specialising in the treatment of cancer involving radiotherapy and can also prescribe drug treatments.

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Medical Oncologists

Doctors specialising in the treatment of cancer involving drug treatments.

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Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS)

Nurses who specialise in a specific cancer type, who can provide support, assess patients and can prescribe treatments.

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Research Nurses

Nurses who are involved in clinical trials. They will provide information, perform tests and support you for the duration you are on a clinical trial.

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Therapy Radiographers

Provide information, advice and support to patients having radiotherapy, help plan the radiotherapy and review you during treatment with the nurse specialist staff to see how you are coping and to monitor side effects. 

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Physicists

Staff members who plan radiotherapy treatments.

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Macmillan Day Bed Unit nurses

Nurses who are trained to administer chemotherapy and other treatments in the Macmillan Day Case Unit and in the wards. They will assess patients upon arrival to the unit, can provide advice and will administer the treatment.

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Uro-Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialists

Nurses who specialise in managing urological cancers, work closely with the medical staff and other members of the team providing a liaison role between the patients and medical staff. The CNS also liaises with staff at urology units in other hospitals, which have their own urology surgical Clinical Nurse Specialists. They provide information, advice and support to patients undergoing treatment.

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Out-patient Nursing Staff

You will meet many different members of our nursing staff during your appointments to clinic. They work closely with your doctor and help prepare you for any examinations or tests you may have. They can offer advice, care and treatment on many problems associated with treatment such as radiotherapy skin reactions, open wounds and infections.

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Pharmacists

Our pharmacies specialise in cancer drug treatment and support our medical and nursing staff in all aspects of drug delivery. They can offer advice on any questions or concerns about your medications and any side effects the treatments may have. They are also involved in assessing patients and prescribing treatment.

We provide a service throughout different areas in the West of Scotland but specialist regional clinics for treating testicular and renal cancers are held in the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre. 

We hold outpatient clinics in the following locations:

Beatson West of Scotland Regional Renal Cancer Team

Consultants

• Dr Balaji Venugopal
• Dr Manreet Randhawa
• Dr Sarah Slater

Specialist Nursing Team

• Megan Wilson
• Nicola Thomson

Pharmacists

• Gillian Barmack
• Jennifer Laskey

Beatson West of Scotland Germ Cell Team

Consultants

• Dr Leena Mukherjee
• Dr Sharon Armstrong

Specialist Nursing Team

Ayrshire & Arran

Consultants

• Dr Hilary Glen
• Dr Nicholas MacLeod
• Dr Claire MacAuley (Specialty Doctor)

Specialist Nursing Team

• Jillian Dawson
• John Morrison
• Lillian White
• Steven Petticrew

Forth Valley

Consultants

• Dr Ross Carruthers
• Dr Stephen McKay

Specialist Nursing Team

• Carol Black
• Julia Scott
• Leanne Hamill
• Lesley Jean Meechan
• Lesley Murciano
• Maureen Hamill
• Neil Doig
• Siobhan Rattray
• Ann Cunningham (Health Care Support Worker)

Lanarkshire

Consultants

• Dr Brendan McCann
• Dr David Dodds

Specialist Nursing Team

• Josephine Rodgers
• Julie King

GGC Urology Team

Consultants - Medical Oncology

• Dr Abdulla Alhasso
• Dr Carolynn Lamb
• Dr Helena Belikova
• Dr Ioanna Nixon
• Dr Norma Sidek
• Dr Ross Carruthers

Consultants - Clinical Oncology

• Dr Balaji Venugopal
• Prof Rob Jones
• Dr Manreet Randhawa
• Dr Maria Martinez

Clinical Nurse Specialists

• Caitlin Doyle
• Fiona Birrell 
• Marianne Heppell 
• Jacqueline Davies (Health Care Support Worker)

Pharmacists

• Gillian Barmack
• Kimberley Philip
• Rachel Workman