Breast service

We provide a dedicated Breast Service at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and breast cancer services at University Hospital Lewisham.

The Breast Service at Queen Elizabeth Hospital is for people living in Greenwich, Bexley and neighbouring boroughs in London. We offer a full range of services for patients with breast complaints in emergency, routine and urgent cancer-related settings.

Locations

Outpatients

  • ‘One-Stop’ clinics, follow-up Clinics, Lymphoedema/Prosthetics/Family History Clinics – Area D in Outpatients, Ground Floor
  • Joint Breast Plastics Clinic – Area C in Outpatients, Ground Floor
  • Joint Oncology Clinic – Macmillan Brooke Unit , 1st Floor

Diagnostics

  • Mammography / breast ultrasound / guided biopsies - Area D in Outpatients, Ground Floor
  • CT / MRI / general ultrasound/ nuclear medicine – Main Radiology Department, Ground Floor
  • Blood Tests- Phlebotomy Department, Outpatients Area Entrance
  • Pathology – Pathology Department, Ground Floor

Theatres

  • Day case operating – Day Care Unit, Ground Floor
  • In-Patient operating - Main Theatres, 1st Floor

Chemotherapy/Systemic anticancer therapy

  • Chemotherapy Day Suite,  Macmillan Brooke Unit , 1st Floor
  • In-Patient chemotherapy – Ward 21, Oncology Ward, 1st Floor

Radiotherapy

  • Oncology clinic – for consultation and consenting- Macmillan Brooke Unit , 1st Floor
  • Treatment planning and delivery – at St Thomas’ Hospital  Radiotherapy Suite

Contact

Outpatients service: 020 8836 5050

Cancer services for initial appointments only: 020 8836 5964 or 020 8836 5965

For diagnosed cancer patients already known to the Breast Service via Breast CNSs:

  • Extension 66899, Bleeps – 417/282)
  • Breast Secretaries (Extn 65486/ 65483)

Macmillan Brook Unit: for  Oncology clinics, and chemotherapy patients: 020 8836 5054

Conditions we can help with

Our department treats a wide range of benign breast conditions as well as breast cancer in both women and men; including:

Benign breast conditions:

  • Developmental anomalies
  • Breast Lumps – cysts, fibroadenomas  etc
  • Breast Infections – including those associated with pregnancy/ breast feeding
  • Nipple discharge/problems
  • Breast problems in Males – including gynaecomastia

Malignant conditions/cancer:

  • Non-invasive — DCIS, LCIS and others
  • Invasive
  • Breast cancers in males

Borderline and high risk conditions

  • Phyllodes tumour
  • Atypical hyperplasias
  • Duct papillomas

Services available

Outpatients

  • One-stop breast clinics with mammography, ultrasound scans, image guided biopsies - five clinics each week
  • Follow-up clinics – three times a week
  • Joint breast plastics clinics – once a fortnight
  • Joint breast oncology clinics – once a week
  • Nurse led clinics: mild lymphoedema, breast prosthetics, family history risk assessment

Diagnostic services

  • Radiology – mammograms, ultrasound scans, image guided and non-guided biopsies, nuclear medicine scans, CT scans, MRI scans, DEXA scans and other routine scans
  • Pathology – cytology, histopathology including immuno-histochemistry, microbiology
  • Diagnostic excisions
  • Family history risk assessment and referral for screening and gene testing

Surgery

  • Day care ambulatory surgery – lumpectomy for benign cases, surgery for breast cancer including guidewire breast conserving surgery, dual technique sentinel node biopsy, mastectomy, axillary clearance
  • Inpatient surgery - as above for higher risk patients
  • Reconstructive surgery – immediate or delayed with plastic surgeons at St Thomas’

Systemic anti-cancer therapy services

  • Chemotherapy including complex regimes
  • Herceptin
  • Full range of anti-hormonal treatments including injectible drugs
  • Supportive therapies including bisphosphonates for bone health issues

Who we can help

We provide breast services for both women and men of all ages with breast complaints.

How to get a referral

We accept referrals from GPs and other primary care referrers from the Boroughs of Greenwich, Bexley, Lewisham and neighbouring areas. Call 020 8836 4035.

GPs from any other boroughs can make referrals through the NHS eReferral Service

Referrals to our breast screening service are should be sent to Breast Screening and Cancer Services via e-mail.

Emergency Departments via standard referral form to Cancer Services

Inpatients - teams can refer via breast CNSs (extension 66899, Bleeps – 417 / 282) and breast secretaries (Extn 65486/ 65483)

Outpatients of other specialities via referral to breast consultants: extension 65486 and 65483 / CNSs extension 66899, bleeps – 417/282)

About your appointment

When you come to see us, you should complete and bring the breast clinic questionnaire.

Your appointment may take up to three hours for the initial clinic assessment, including ultrasound, mammogram, biopsies and provisional results and feedback to be completed.