Dr Russell Burcombe is a recognised Clinical oncologist who specialises in breast and lung cancers and preoperative chemotherapy for breast cancer. He is currently our UK Clinical Director of GenesisCare’ Breast Clinical Reference Group (CRG).

Dr Burcombe trained in oncology at Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, The Middlesex and St Bartholomew’s Hospitals before becoming a Fellow of the Royal College of Radiologists in 1998.

He completed an MD Research Fellowship in a prediction of response to preoperative chemotherapy for breast cancer at Mount Vernon’s Cancer Research UK Gray Laboratory in 2001.

He became a Consultant Radiation Oncologist in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2002, before being appointed Consultant Clinical Oncologist at the Kent Oncology Centre in 2004.

As well as running a busy clinical practice treating breast and lung cancers, Dr Burcombe takes a special interest in providing patient-friendly information for patients.

The innovative Breast Radiotherapy Information film was followed, in 2014, by a film on chemotherapy. This is now used widely to educate patients in Kent and was endorsed by the UK Chemotherapy Partnership.

As Trustee of a local charity, Breast Cancer Kent, he has been closely involved in fundraising to provide state-of-the-art equipment for the Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells Breast Care Centre.

He has worked closely with Macmillan, Breast Cancer Care, and Breast Cancer Now to promote and improve the metastatic breast cancer service at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust.

Career positions

Current position(s)

Chair of GenesisCare’ Breast Clinical Reference Group (CRG).

Past position(s)

Consultant Radiation Oncologist in Christchurch, New Zealand (2002)
Consultant Clinical Oncologist, Kent Oncology Centre (2004)

Education

Universities

Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, The Middlesex and St Bartholomew’s Hospitals

Fellowship

Royal College of Radiologists in 1998.
MD Research Fellowship, Mount Vernon’s Cancer Research UK Gray Laboratory in 2001.

Expertise and interests

Interests

Dr Burcombe continues to run a programme of clinical audit and research, with publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at national breast and lung cancer meetings.
Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for brain metastases

Awards

The breast radiotherapy information film he created was awarded first prize for Best Patient Support Initiative at the UK Excellence in Oncology Awards, 2012.
Two ‘Hospital Heroes’ awards from the Kent Courier and Kent Messenger newspapers (nominated by patients) was his reward for his commitment to personalised clinical care in 2013.
In 2018, Russell developed and launched a patient app, ‘Patient Journey App’, to provide patients with reliable information about their diagnosis and treatment and links to national support organisations and local charities.

Professional memberships

Fellow of the Royal College of Radiologists (FRCR)
Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (FRCP)