North London Cancer Network

The Breast Tumour Board continues to be an active group with good multidisciplinary representation and a policy of locating meetings at different sites to allow as many members as possible to attend the three meetings a year. It also holds a popular ‘Away Day’ in May with Mount Vernon Cancer Network. The symptomatic, screening and supportive services are well represented within the group, and there is mutual engagement between the two Cancer Networks.
This has been a challenging year for the Breast Tumour Board with the availability of new drugs for breast cancer posing problems in terms of introduction and ensuring equity of practice. We have been heavily engaged with our colleagues at the PCTs and have been largely successful in introducing drugs for patients. Surgical techniques continue to advance and there is a rolling programme for the introduction of sentinel lymph node assessment for appropriate patients within the Network, and an active programme to look at the availability of reconstruction. Challenges for the future include a programme for updating our imaging with the possible introduction of digital mammography, providing access to breast MRI for appropriate patients, and ensuring the very busy Breast Care Nurses are able to perform their important role within the Unit.