Neuro-Oncology Department

The Walton Centre Neuro-Oncology team provide a dedicated surgical oncology service for patients diagnosed with brain and central nervous system tumours.

A multidisciplinary team including neurosurgeons, oncologists, clinical nurse specialists and the Palliative Care Team, specialise in treating all types of brain tumours. The team is passionate about improving outcomes for patients with brain tumours and their loved ones.

The Neuro-Oncology service at The Walton Centre treats over 500 new patients per year treating all types of brain tumours, including:

Gliomas
Glioblastoma (grade IV)
Anaplastic astrocytoma (grade III)
Low-grade glioma (grade II)
Pilocytic astrocytoma (grade I)
Oligodendroglioma
Ependymoma
Mixed glioma
Meningioma
Pineal region tumour
Brain metastases
Primary central nervous system lymphoma
Haemangioblastoma

Surgery

Surgery is usually the first line treatment for brain tumours. Tumours are removed to the maximal extent using advanced equipment such as image-guidance systems, neurophysiological monitoring, intra-operative ultrasound and immunofluorosence-guided surgery. The Walton Centre is also one of three providers nationally with intraoperative MRI, which improve patient outcomes, reduces the need for repeated surgery and reduces infection risk.
Awake surgery with intra-operative mapping of language, motor and sensory function is also used for selected patients (please see the patient video below for more information on this procedure).
When tumour resection is not possible, biopsy is used to make the diagnosis. Our neurosurgeons also have expertise in stereotactic radiosurgery using the Novalis TX machine located on-site at the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre in Liverpool.
We also have some surgical clinical trials open for brain tumour patients.

Radiotherapy and chemotherapy

The Walton Centre works collaboratively with dedicated clinical oncologists and clinical nurse specialists from the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre and the North Wales Cancer Treatment Centre to provide oncology therapies such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy for patients with brain and central nervous system tumours. Patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma are treated jointly by haematologists at Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

We also have some radiotherapy and chemotherapy clinical trials open for brain tumour patients.

Support for patients with brain tumours

The Neuro Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist Team is a dedicated team of nurses who specialise in offering patient centred care to patients and their families from diagnosis and throughout their journeys.

We support patients and loved ones through the physical effects of having a brain tumour but also understand the importance of caring for other needs. We can offer support with emotional, psychological and social needs.

We are part of the multidisciplinary team providing care during admission and after discharge. A diagnosis of a brain or spinal tumour can be a very frightening time for patients and their families. The clinical nurse specialist team offers support and provide information from the first point of contact through to surgery, oncology treatment and beyond.

The neuro-oncology clinical nurse specialists roles include:

To be the key worker for each patient with a brain or spinal tumour
To provide emotional, psychological, practical and discharge support
To facilitate referrals to other health care professionals including:
- Benefits advice and social service referrals
- Community Macmillan and district nurse
- Epilepsy specialist nurse
- Occupational therapists and physiotherapists
- Counselling services and specialised neurological support services

We also provide a monthly support group supported by The Brain Tumour Charity at Liverpool’s dedicated neurological society The Brain Charity. The support group is well attended by patients, carers and families and has been described as a ‘lifeline’ from those who attend.

We also provide two education courses per year. ‘Coping Better Together’ is a four-week course, one afternoon a week which provides education by wealth of expert speakers on a range of brain tumour topics including:

Diagnosis, treatment and future directions in the management of brain tumours
Living with a brain tumour – coping strategies
Epilepsy and brain tumours
Avenues of support
Fatigue management

To contact the neuro-oncology clinical nurse specialist team:

Direct line with answer machine service: 0151 556 3778
0151 525 3611 bleep 5391
Email wcft.braintumournurses@nhs.net

Clinics

Each of the six neurosurgeons who treat brain and central nervous system tumours has a weekly dedicated brain tumour clinic with neuro-oncology clinical nurse specialist (CNS) support. Patients who are referred to see a neurosurgeon are encouraged to bring a family member or friend to these appointments.

There are also dedicated clinical nurse specialist clinics to provide symptom management, holistic needs assessment and urgent access and support where needed.

The Neuro-Oncology Team

Neurosurgeons

Professor Andrew Brodbelt
Professor Michael Jenkinson
Mr Jibril Farah
Mr David Lawson
Mr Emmanuel Chavredakis
Mr Farouk Olubajo
Mr Rashid Zakaria

Clinical Nurse Specialists

Emma Wilby (ANP Service Lead)
Alison Rodway
Emily Gibson
Jessica Gibbons
Kelly Woods (Support Worker)
Jill McColl (Clatterbridge Liverpool)
Pauline Burford (North Wales Cancer Treatment Centre)

Oncologists

Dr Shaveta Mehta
Dr Chloe May
Dr Adi Shenoy
Dr Niladri Ghosal (North Wales)

Brain tumour research

The Neuro Oncology Team work collaboratively with the Neuroscience Research Centre, the University of Liverpool and national organisations to ensure patients have access to international and national clinical trials.

There are a number of clinical trials open to patients at present, these include surgical trials, radiology trials and drugs trials to manage symptoms such as seizures.

For more information please speak to your neurosurgeon or clinical nurse specialist.

Support groups

A group meets at 1pm on the last Monday of the month at The Brain Charity, except in August when the meeting is on the last Tuesday.

A second group meets on the first Monday of each month, from 1pm to 3pm in Northwich Carers Centre, Northwich CW9 5HH. For details about either group please email stephen.sharman@homecall.co.uk

Another Brain Tumour Support Group is run in Llandudno, in the training room of Asda from 1.30pm to 3.30pm on the third Tuesday of each month. For more details email michelle.herbert@thebraintumorcharity.org or call Michelle on 07436102652.

Referral information

Urgent two-week referrals can be made via GP surgeries.

Emergency inter-hospital referrals can be made via the neurosurgical registrar via The Walton Centre switch board or via Orion (orion.net).

The Neuro-Oncology MDT takes place weekly, on a Thursday afternoon. Outcomes from emergency referrals made into the Neuro-Oncology MDT can be found on Orion using a unique code and pin which will be allocated to the original referral made.

The cut off for referrals is Tuesday 3pm. Any referrals made after this time will be discussed the following week. If a clinical decision needs to be made urgently or neurosurgical advice is required you can discuss this with the neurosurgical registrar on-call via main switchboard.

Contact information

0151 556 3778
wcft.braintumournurses@nhs.net

Patient leaflets

Best supportive care

Brain tumour clinical nurse specialist team

Discharge after day case biopsy

Discharge guide for patients with a brain tumour

Discharge guide for patients with a posterior fossa brain tumour

Neuro-oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist Team

Rituximab

Stereotactic biopsy

Consultants