CaRi-heart technology
Revolutionary new technology to assess the risk of a serious heart condition or heart attack – many years before anything happens.
The latest skin cancer treatments
At HCA Healthcare UK we use the latest advancements in surgical and non-surgical treatment, led by a team of skin cancer experts.
How is skin cancer treated?
As a leading provider of private cancer care, at HCA Healthcare UK we’re committed to providing expert led treatment, access to the latest surgical and radiotherapy technology and techniques, innovative anti-cancer therapies and supportive care for all our patients.
Our multidisciplinary teams (MDTs), including expert dermatologists, surgeons, consultant clinical and medical oncologists, radiologists and other specialists will come together to discuss your individual case and recommend the most effective treatment for you, with the aim of reducing side-effects whilst providing the best treatment outcome.
Your personalised treatment will be led by you chosen consultant with the support of your named clinical nurse specialist, who will support you throughout your treatment and care. They will provide specialist medical advice, coordinate your appointments, and liaise with your consultant and other members of your multidisciplinary team, to ensure your care is continually tailored to your individual needs.
Our team of CNS's understand the impact of a cancer diagnosis and treatment, and they are on hand to give additional support and advice to you and your loved ones.
Skin cancer surgery
Surgery will usually form part of your overall treatment and care plan if you have been diagnosed with a melanoma or non-melanoma. Basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas are usually removed by a dermatologist as an outpatient procedure. However, in some cases, particularly with melanoma, more extensive surgery may be required.
The aim of surgery is to remove the cancer and reduce the risk of it recurring. The type of surgery you receive will be based on your individual diagnosis, including the size, type, stage and location of your cancer. Our multidisciplinary team, which includes expert dermatologists, surgeons and plastic surgeons, will work together to recommend the best option for you.
Mohs Micrographic Surgery
Mohs Micrographic Surgery is a specialist treatment for skin cancer that involves removing layers of the affected skin and tissue and reviewing these under a microscope during the procedure. As the tissue is examined during the procedure the surgeon is able to remove all the cancer cells, whilst leaving the smallest possible margin of healthy tissue. Because this surgery minimises the removal of healthy tissue, it means it is less invasive and therefore can improve the cosmetic outcome.
Anti-cancer therapies
Surgery is the most commonly used treatment for non-melanoma and melanoma. It is usually curative for non-melanoma skin cancer and can be very successful in melanoma skin cancer when diagnosed early. In some cases, such as the case of advanced melanoma, additional anti-cancer therapies may be recommended.
Anti-cancer therapies are types of treatment which can be used to destroy cancer cells and slow the growth and spread of cancer. The main anti-cancer therapies are radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Other anti-cancer therapies include targeted therapies and immunotherapies which are newer types of treatment and are providing effective for certain types of cancer.
Through our healthcare system our experts can provide the full range of treatment options, from standard therapies, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, to the latest immunotherapies, targeted therapies and personalised medicine. We can also provide access to new and emerging cancer therapies through clinical trials.
Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy, which uses targeted and high energy radiation beams to target cancer cells, isn’t typically used to treat non-melanoma and melanoma but may form part of your treatment for a pre-melanoma. A pre-melanoma is where the cancer cells are contained in the top layer of the skin and haven’t yet grown into deeper layers.
Radiotherapy may be recommended if your pre-melanoma covers a large area of skin, is located in a part of the body which is difficult to operate on, or has a high chance of recurrence. Some pre-melanomas which can’t be removed surgically are also treated with radiotherapy.
At HCA Healthcare UK you will have access to the latest radiotherapy technology and most advanced radiotherapy techniques, led by our expert team of clinical oncologists, radiographers, physicists and dosimetrists who work closely with your chosen consultant to ensure you receive the highest quality of care.
Chemotherapy and immunotherapy
Chemotherapy is an anti-cancer drug which is used to destroy cancer cells and slow the growth and spread of cancer. Chemotherapy is usually used to treat superficial non-melanoma skin cancers which are confined to the top layer of the skin and can be applied directly as a topical cream.
Immunotherapies are drugs which work with our own immune system, in particular our T-cells, to recognise and target cancer cells. In some cases immunotherapy is used after surgery to reduce the chances of a melanoma recurring. If a melanoma is unable to be removed surgically then immunotherapy may also be used to slow its growth. Your consultant will be able to recommend if immunotherapy is suitable for you.
Targeted therapy
Around half of people diagnosed with a melanoma will have a mutation in the BRAF gene. This gene mutation can encourage the melanoma cells to make and release a protein which encourages the cancer cells to divide and grow.
Your consultant may arrange for you to have a genetic test to look for this gene change.
If tests show you have a BRAF gene mutation in the melanoma cells, your doctor may recommend a targeted therapy treatment called a BRAF inhibitor. These are drugs which target and block the protein released by melanoma cells which the cancer cells depend on to grow, this can stop or slow the growth of your cancer. Your consultant will be able to discuss this in more detail with you if needed.
Access to clinical trials
At HCA Healthcare UK we are committed to advancing medicine and are proud to be the only private healthcare provider in the UK to operate a dedicated clinical trials facility, The Sarah Cannon Research Institute (SCRI). Having this dedicated clinical trials facility, which works in partnership with our molecular diagnostic lab, means that we are able to provide the kindest and most effective treatment for your cancer and access to new and emerging therapies at the earliest opportunity.
If your consultant thinks you may benefit from a clinical trial, they will discuss this with you in detail so that you can make an informed decision about taking part.