Conditions

Blood cancers occur when your body produces larger, or smaller, numbers of blood cells that don’t function properly. These abnormal blood cells prevent your body from performing its normal functions, including fighting off infections, carrying oxygen around and preventing serious bleeding.

The different types of blood cells are:

• Red blood cells – that carry oxygen around your body
• White blood cells – that help fight off infection
• Platelets – that help stop bleeding

These cells are made from stem cells, which are special cells found in your bone marrow.

Blood cancers are categorised according to the type of cell affected.

The three main types of blood cancer are:

• Leukaemia, including acute myeloid leukaemia, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, chronic myeloid leukaemia and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
• Lymphoma, including Hodgkin’s lymphoma and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
• Myeloma

Blood cancer may affect your blood, bone marrow and lymph nodes. Some of the most common symptoms include:

• Bruising or bleeding
• Lumps or swellings
• Weight loss
• Severe infections
• A high temperature (fever) or abnormal sweating at night
• Itchy skin or a rash
• Pain in your bones and joints
• Fatigue
• Feeling out of breath
• Skin turning pale if you have white skin, or greyish if you have brown or black skin

Having one or more of these symptoms does not necessarily mean you have blood cancer and may be a sign of another underlying condition. If you have any concerns, or your symptoms are unexplained or persistent, you should see a doctor.

At GenesisCare, we offer many of the world’s latest treatment for blood cancers. Our highly experienced cancer experts work as teams to ensure that every patient can access world-class cancer care, within days of diagnosis. You’ll receive a complete personalised care plan that has been designed to support you physically and emotionally throughout your cancer journey. After all, we’re treating you – not just your cancer.

Bone cancers occur when normal bone cells develop changes and start to grow uncontrollably, creating a tumour. They’re also sometimes called bone sarcomas – bones are made up of connective tissue and sarcomas are the cancers that start in any connective tissue in the body.  

This information is specifically about primary bone cancer, which starts in your bones. It is different to secondary bone cancer, which is where a cancer has spread to your bones from a tumour that started elsewhere in your body. Secondary cancer in bones is much more common than primary bone cancer, and your treatment will be a little different.  

Cancers that originate in the bone marrow, such as leukaemia, myeloma and lymphoma, aren’t classified as bone cancers but as blood cancers, also known as haematological cancers. 

Primary bone cancers are rare in the UK. There are several types of bone cancer and the kind you have can depend on the type of bone cell the cancer originates from. Primary bone cancers can affect anybody, however some bone cancers are more common in young people, as rapid growth spurts that occur during puberty can increase the risk of bone tumours. There are many different types of bone cancer and at GenesisCare we treat: 

• Osteosarcoma – most common in young people aged 10 to 19 
• Ewing’s sarcoma – often develops in children and adolescents, between 0 and 14 years old 
• Chondrosarcoma – usually affects adults 

We offer the latest treatments for bone cancer including surgery, chemotherapy, advanced radiotherapy and targeted therapy.

Our highly experienced cancer experts work together to ensure that every patient can access world-class cancer care, within days of diagnosis. You’ll receive a complete personalised care plan that has been designed to support you physically and emotionally through your cancer journey. We’re here to treat you – not just your cancer.

Bowel cancer occurs when normal bowel cells mutate and grow uncontrollably, creating a tumour. The bowel is split into two main portions – the large and small bowel – and both are part of the digestive system. At GenesisCare, we treat cancers in all parts of the bowel, including cancers that have started in the bowel and spread to other parts of the body (known as secondary bowel cancer).

Brain cancer happens when abnormal cells grow in the brain, forming tumours that can affect brain functions. Primary brain cancers start in the brain, while secondary brain cancers spread to the brain from other areas, like the lungs or breasts. Primary brain cancers are rare but often serious. Secondary brain cancers are more common, especially in adults. 

The study and treatment of tumours that are found in the brain and spinal cord is known as neuro-oncology. At GenesisCare, we're a specialist provider of neuro-oncology. We focus on proven techniques that diagnose and treat tumours, while preserving healthy brain tissue.

Our neuro-onclogy service uses stereotactic radiosurgery - an advanced 'brain-sparing' radiotherapy - alongside an expert team of specialist oncologists, therapy radiographers, neuroradiologists, medical physicists and neuro-clinical nurse specialists. This multi-disciplinary team approach allows us to create a unique treatment plan, designed for you.

Breast cancer occurs when normal breast cells acquire mutations leading to uncontrolled growth, creating a tumour. It frequently starts in the cells that line the milk ducts (ductal cancer) but can also arise in breast lobules (lobular cancer). Read more about the types of breast cancer, what causes breast cancer and stages of breast cancer.

Read more about breast cancer. 

Breast cancer can be detected using imaging, such as ultrasound or mammography, and biopsy to remove a small portion of tissue or fluid for further investigation. At our one stop breast clinics, you can get fast, direct access to an assessment with an expert breast consultant, a mammogram and a discussion of findings on the same day.

Read more about one stop breast clinics.

If you are found to have breast cancer, it could either be non-invasive, also called ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) or invasive breast cancer.

Breast cancer treatment depends on what type of breast cancer you have. Your consultant will discuss the appropriate treatment that will deliver the best outcome for you.

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is considered the earliest form of breast cancer and is sometimes referred to as Stage 0, or pre-invasive or non-invasive cancer.

Read more aboout ductal carcinoma in situ treatment. 

About four in five women diagnosed with breast cancer through screening will have invasive cancer. This is cancer that has grown out of the milk ducts and into the surrounding breast tissue.

Read more about invasive breast cancer treatment. 

If left untreated, most invasive breast cancers will spread to other parts of the body.Where breast cancer has spread to other parts of the body, such as the bones, liver or lungs, this is known as secondary (metastatic, advanced or stage 4) breast cancer.

Read more about secondary breast cancer treatment. 

Brain, other CNS and intracranial tumours are the 9th most common cancer in the UK.

• The cerebrum (two halves with four lobes on each side- frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital)
• The cerebellum
• The brain stem
• The pituitary gland

• Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer is the name for cancers affecting the digestive system (or GI tract).
• There are a range of types of gastrointestinal cancers including:
• Bile duct cancer
• Gallbladder cancer
• Large bowel cancer
• Liver cancer
• Oesophageal cancer
• Pancreatic cancer
• Small bowel cancer
• Stomach cancer

• There are many different type of genitourinary cancers which effect both men and women.
• Types of genitourinary cancers
• Bladder cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Penile cancer
• Testicular cancer
• Urethral cancer
• Ureter cancer

• Gynaecological cancers affect a woman’s reproductive system. They can happen to women of all ages but are most common if you’re over 50.
• You can find more information about different types of gynaecological cancer below:

Head and neck cancer is a broad term given to a number of cancers that occur in the head and neck region. It is a reasonably uncommon cancer type in the UK – each year there are around 12,000 new cases diagnosed, that’s around 0.02% of the population. Head and neck cancer is a broad term given to a number of cancers that occur in the head and neck region. It is the 8th most common cancer in the UK but has been increasing in incidence by 10% over the last 10 years.

There are more than 30 areas within the head and neck where these cancers can arise, such as the:

• Mouth – the most common type
• Tongue
• Throat (pharynx/back of the tongue and tonsils)
• Voice box (larynx)
• Nose and sinuses
• Salivary glands
• Middle ear
• Back of the nose and mouth (nasopharynx)

Despite their location, cancers of the oesophagus, brain and eye aren’t generally classified as a head and neck cancer.

We offer the latest treatments for head and neck cancer including surgery, chemotherapy, advanced radiotherapy and innovative techniques such as photobiomodulation therapy.

Our highly experienced cancer experts work as teams to ensure that every patient can access world-class cancer care, within days of diagnosis. You’ll receive a complete personalised care plan that has been designed to support you physically and emotionally through your cancer journey. After all, we’re treating you – not just your cancer.

You can find out more about the treatment journey, from diagnostics to survivorship, for different types of head and neck cancer by following the links below:

• Laryngeal cancer
• Mouth cancer
• Nasal cavity cancer
• Nasopharyngeal cancer
• Thyroid cancer
• Salivary gland cancer
• Thymus gland cancer

Liver cancer occurs when normal liver cells mutate and grow uncontrollably, creating a tumour. The liver is a sizable organ found in the upper right of your abdomen, it helps to digest your food and remove toxins from within the body.

At GenesisCare, we treat cancers in all parts of the liver, including cancers that have spread to the liver from other parts of the body (known as secondary liver cancer).

Cancer in the liver can affect anybody, but its usually found in people aged between 55 and 75 and is most common in those over 65’s. Each year in the UK, around 6,100 people are diagnosed with liver cancer.

We offer many of the latest treatments in liver cancer, including advanced radiotherapy, targeted therapy and chemotherapy.

Our highly experienced cancer experts work as teams to ensure that every patient can access world-class cancer care within days of diagnosis. You’ll receive a complete personalised care plan that has been designed to support you physically and emotionally through your cancer journey. After all, we’re treating you – not just your cancer.

Lung cancer is when cells in your lung tissue become abnormal and grow at an uncontrollable rate to form a tumour. It is the third most common cancer type in the UK. Nearly 50,000 people are diagnosed with it in the UK each year.

You may hear lung cancers being described as primary or secondary. Primary lung cancer is when the tumour started in your lung. There are three main types of primary lung cancer and they are categorised according to the type of cells the cancer developed in. They are:

• Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC): The most common kind of lung cancer, accounting for nearly 90% of diagnoses. NSCLC’s can be further split into three types: adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and large cell carcinoma
• Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC): A more uncommon type of lung cancer. SCLC usually spreads quicker than NSCLC and is often diagnosed when it is at an advanced stage
• Mesothelioma: This is a cancer that develops in the pleura – the lining of the lung. You’re more likely to develop mesothelioma if you’ve been exposed to asbestos

Secondary lung cancer is when cancer cells have spread (metastasised) to your lung from a cancer in another part of the body.

Trachea cancer is a rare type of lung cancer, sometimes known as bronchial cancer. That’s because the trachea (or windpipe) has two branches – known as bronchi, and this is where the disease usually starts. Most tumours that begin in the trachea or bronchi are cancerous. However, other tumours can spread to the trachea (metastasised) from other parts of the body.

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer most often found in the layer of tissue covering each lung (pleural mesothelioma). It can also affect the lining of the abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma) and occasionally other areas in the body.

Most cases are caused by asbestos. It can take over 20 years for problems to appear from initial exposure.

We have a comprehensive prostate cancer service led by our expert urologists and oncologists and supported by a team of cancer specialists, including chemotherapy nurses, wellbeing consultants, and skilled radiographers.

At GenesisCare, you can get diagnostics tests and scans quickly if you’re worried about symptoms, and the latest treatments including access to groundbreaking radiotherapy techniques that limit side effects and innovative therapies for advanced disease. We’ll support you from start to finish with a complete care package that includes exercise medicine and a range of wellbeing therapies that help limit the impact of cancer and its treatment.

Skin cancer occurs when skin cells change into abnormal cells and grow at an uncontrolled rate.

Most skin cancers are caused by UV light damage from the sun or artificial sources, such as tanning beds. You also have a higher risk the more times you have had sunburn.

Other risk factors for skin cancer include:

• Increased age – your risk increases with age
• Have fair skin, blonde or red hair or blue eyes
• Have lots of moles, freckles or birthmarks
• Have a family history of melanoma
• Have a certain medical conditions – such as a weakened immune system

There are two main types of skin cancer – melanoma skin cancer (the type linked with moles) and non-melanoma skin cancer.

MALT Lymphoma is a type of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma which is a group of cancers that affect the lymphatic system (a network of tubes and nodes that help to fight infection). It starts when white blood cells called B-cell lymphocytes begin to grow in an uncontrolled way. 

MALT gets its name from the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) where it’s found, most often in the lining of the stomach. This is called gastric MALT lymphoma.

It's a slow-growing cancer that responds well to treatment, especially as it's usually diagnosed early.

Spine cancer can affect the bones of the spine (vertebrae) or the nerves of the spinal cord. The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves which transmit signals between the brain and the rest of the body, and the spinal column serves to protect it.

Primary spine cancers, which start in the bones, nerves, or spinal tissue, are rare and make up less than 10% of all spine cancers. Most cancers affecting the spine are secondary cancers, meaning they originate elsewhere in the body, such as in the lungs, breasts, or prostate, and then spread to the spine.