Oncology
At Southfields, we’re committed to providing the best possible care for every cancer patient referred to us. As one of the leading centres in the UK for the treatment of cancer in dogs and cats, we have outstanding facilities and a highly experienced team of leading professionals with unsurpassed expertise in the treatment and care of pets with cancer.
Unrivalled expertise
Our specialist-led veterinary oncology and veterinary radiotherapy teams offer some of the most advanced treatments in the UK, including in-house radiation. Our team’s expertise is second to none; with over 30 years’ combined experience working with a multi-disciplinary approach to cancer patient management. We have one of the largest teams of Oncology Diplomates in Europe, including two leading specialists double-boarded in veterinary oncology and veterinary radiation oncology.
Leading the way in small animal cancer treatment
Our purpose-built Oncology and Radiotherapy Suite has the facilities and equipment to enable us to provide some of the most advanced cancer treatments for small animals in the UK. The suite incorporates our chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment facilities all in one place, to ensure each patient’s visit is as stress-free as possible, with a separate entrance and reception area for oncology and radiotherapy patients.
Southfields Veterinary Specialists is one of only a handful of specialist veterinary centres within the UK to have a linear accelerator (LINAC) to administer radiotherapy in house. Our dedicated LINAC Oncology building includes 3 oncology patient prep, LINAC viewing and control rooms and houses our new high-precision Varian TrueBeam® 120 MLC radiotherapy system. We use a sophisticated radiation treatment planning system to ensure maximum treatment response.
The oncology facility offers a variety of cancer modalities, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery. Our cancer treatment facilities are extensive; the Oncology and Radiotherapy Suite also includes two chemotherapy rooms and a dedicated ward for oncology outpatients. It’s located adjacent to our cutting-edge diagnostics suite for easy access to MRI, CT, X-ray and Ultrasound. Plus surgical facilities in our main hospital building include 7 operating theatres, recovery suites and an ICU.
Expertise you can count on
Our Oncology and Radiotherapy teams work closely together to determine the best and most comprehensive treatment plan for each patient. All our specialists work on-site at our hospital, directly interacting with the patients themselves. All patients will be directly examined and cared for by an oncology specialist throughout their treatment course.
The reassurance of teamwork
As part of the Linnaeus group, we have multiple oncologists on hand to offer support and expertise on more complex or unusual cases… each one with a wealth of experience and knowledge of all kinds of cases, both standard and rare.
Supporting referring vets
Our Oncology team works closely with referring vets and encourages regular case discussions. All of us at Southfields share a commitment to achieving the best outcomes possible for every cancer patient referred to us. We take great care in giving sensitive counselling on therapeutic options and prognoses to clients, ensuring that we give them the time they need to decide on the right plan for their pet. Our specialists also provide support for referring vets with ongoing aftercare for patients following their in-house treatment with us.
In addition to our Oncology expertise, referring colleagues in the veterinary profession will benefit from support services and guidance from our multi-disciplinary team of clinicians, and can be assured that our nursing team will accompany both clients and pets throughout their treatment journeys.
New Oncology and Radiotherapy Suite – Now fully open
Supporting our commitment to delivering the best diagnosis and treatments possible for our patients, we have invested more than £16 million in our new state-of-the-art purpose-built veterinary hospital which opened in 2022.
Our dedicated veterinary Oncology and Radiotherapy suite opened in May 2023 and is equipped with the latest technology to offer one of the most advanced services in the UK.
Click here to read more about the new Suite.
Watch our short video for a tour of the new Oncology and Radiotherapy facilities now open at Southfields Veterinary Specialists.
How our Oncology service can help
Advanced clinical services include
- Oncologists work directly with the highly experienced surgical oncology team, optimising and improving outcomes of oncology cases and enabling novel therapeutic approaches such as sentinel lymph node mapping
- Cutting-edge and novel medical therapies; including melanoma vaccine, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, metronomic chemotherapy and immunotherapy
- Out-of-hours support and treatment by our oncology team, when needed
- Chemotherapy-specific nursing team with extensive experience in chemotherapy delivery.
Available treatments
- Surgery
- Immunotherapy
- Interventional Oncology
- Palliative care
Equipment and facilities include
- Specialised oncology facilities with experienced oncology nurses
- In-house laboratory for rapid results enabling chemotherapy administration during the consultation slot
- Separate chemotherapy treatment rooms
- Closed delivery system
- In-house radiation – one of a few UK centres with a LINAC system for veterinary cancer patients
Our Oncology Team
Our veterinary Oncology team is led by two double-boarded specialists in general oncology and radiation oncology. The highly-respected and vastly experienced Sarah Mason, RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Oncology and European Specialist in Veterinary Oncology and Radiation Oncology, is our Head of Service – Lead in General Oncology. Sarah works closely alongside eminent oncologist James Elliott, European Specialist and RCVS Specialist in Veterinary Oncology and American Specialist in Veterinary Radiation Oncology, who is Head of Service – Lead in Radiation Oncology.
Sarah and James are supported by clinicians, residents, interns and dedicated oncology nurses. Our nurses have experience in nursing pets through chemotherapy, radiotherapy and other treatments and they provide dedicated care for cancer patients who often have to stay with us for prolonged periods while they undergo treatment.
"To all who have taken care of Muddy during his cancer treatment and operations, you provide amazing life care for our beloved pets."