Cancer
Services
An expert team behind you
Why choose the San
Coming to terms with a cancer diagnosis isn’t easy, and neither is deciding where to seek treatment. At the San, we’re mindful of how stressful and overwhelming this time can be, and we’re here to support you every step of the way.
Over the past six years, the San Integrated Cancer Centre’s patient experience has been rated one of the very best in NSW*. There are many reasons why we’ve earned this reputation.
Cancer Treatment Specialists
As specialists in cancer diagnosis, treatment and care, the San offers a full suite of cancer-related services from our private hospital on Sydney’s North Shore. Our team of world-class cancer specialists utilise state-of-the-art diagnostic tools and treatments to provide holistic, integrated cancer services from the one accessible location. Our Clinical Trials Unit gives patients the opportunity to participate in trials across a variety of cancer specialties, providing the best possible treatment outcomes.
Our multi-disciplinary teams include oncologists, surgeons and radiologists, working together with our professional nursing and support staff. These teams access a comprehensive range of tests through the onsite San Pathology and San Radiology & Nuclear Medicine units, ensuring they quickly and accurately identify the patient’s type of cancer. These results are used to establish an appropriate cancer treatment program which may include radiation therapy, chemotherapy or surgery.
From diagnosis to treatment and recovery, our oncology specialists and cancer surgery teams are committed to combining medical excellence with exceptional care to support the cancer patient’s journey.
San Integrated Cancer Video
Our Integrated Cancer Centre provides cancer patients with easy centralised access to the range of services they need to deal with the complex disease.
Breast cancer
The San hospital's dedicated breast care centre provides breast cancer patients and their treatment teams with access to the full suite of diagnostic tools and treatments which may be required across their breast cancer journey. We assemble an expert team for each patient which may include breast cancer oncologists, breast surgeons and plastic surgeons, supported by specialists in imaging and scanning.
Whether requiring initial screening, mammograms, ultrasounds, detailed MRI imaging or tissue sampling, the San’s diagnostic services enable our breast cancer specialists to undertake the required tests quickly and efficiently to confirm a diagnosis before commencing breast cancer treatment.
Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer screening provides early detection of cell abnormalities or the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) which is known to be a primary cause of cervical cancer. The San's extensive diagnostic services are used to conduct follow up tests such as biopsies or colposcopies to confirm a diagnosis or to inform the treatment approach.
While the main treatment for early-detected cervical cancer is surgery, other therapeutic options considered are targeted therapies (designed to destroy abnormal cells), chemotherapy or radiotherapy. The San's team of gynaecologic oncologists, medical oncologists and radiation oncologists work together to form the appropriate treatment plan for the stage and type of cervical cancer.
Colorectal / Bowel Cancer
The San's extensive diagnostic services play a crucial role in the early detection of colorectal or bowel cancer. Generally beginning as small growths called polyps on the inner lining of the colon or rectum, early stage bowel cancer is regarded as highly treatable.
Our bowel cancer specialists utilise sophisticated diagnostic tools including stool screening, colonoscopies, CT and MRI scans to collect detailed information on the size and location of the bowel cancer. Based on the stage of cancer, and using our thorough knowledge of bowel cancer oncology, we prepare individual treatment plans which may include advanced surgical therapies or non-surgical therapies such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy.
Melanoma (Skin Cancer)
The Australian outdoor lifestyle with high sun exposure increases the prevalence of melanoma skin cancer in our population. Prolonged exposure to UV radiation can cause skin cells to mutate and over time, potentially form malignant tumours.
The main treatment for early-stage skin cancer is usually to surgically remove the cancerous tissue, while later stage cancer treatments can include the removal of lymph nodes, targeted drug therapy, radiation therapy, and less commonly, chemotherapy.
The San's dedicated team of medical oncologists and cancer surgery specialists draw on the latest research and treatment methods to provide a clear, planned approach to treating skin cancer cases.
Prostate cancer
A range of diagnostic tools are used by the San’s dedicated prostate cancer specialists to detect the early stages of prostate cancer and inform future treatment plans. From initial prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test screening through to complex scanning and imaging, our diagnostic tools provide vital information to inform the most effective treatment approach for each prostate cancer case.
Our hospital's team of prostate cancer specialists available to assist in the treatment includes urologists (specialist in the male reproduction system), prostate cancer oncologists, radiologists, medical oncologists, urologic surgeons and pathologists.