Gynaecological Oncology

The Gynaecological Oncology service at the Mater Hospital diagnoses and treats women with cancers of the reproductive tract: ovarian, endometrial (womb), cervix, vulval, vaginal and other rare tumours.

The Gynaecological Oncology service at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital (MMUH) was established in 1996 and is one of the largest Gynaecological Oncology departments in the country serving 2 million people, in partnership with St Vincent's University Hospital.

Our department receives 500 new referrals per year. As a tertiary centre, we also receive referrals from across the country. We are one of two centres that perform exenterative surgery and, in conjunction with our colleagues in the Peritoneal Malignancy Institute, are the only centre to offer Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) to women with ovarian cancer. Our centre is accredited by the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO) for advanced ovarian cancer surgery.

We offer specialist treatment for all types of gynaecological cancers including advanced surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.  

Our service is staffed by a specialist team that includes:

• 5 Gynaecological Oncology Surgeons
• Gynaecological Oncology Nurse Specialists
• Radiologists
• Pathologists
• Medical Oncologists
• Radiation Oncologists
• Palliative Care
• MDT Co-ordinator
• Administration Staff

Our department has close working relationships with the peritoneal malignancy/colorectal, urology, hepatobiliary and plastic surgery teams. Medical oncology services are on site and radiation oncology treatments are performed locally at St Luke's Hospital. Colposcopy services are held in the Rotunda Hospital with close links to our service.

We recognise that coming into hospital for investigations or treatment can be a difficult time for patients and their families, and we will make sure that you receive the best care and support possible.

The treatment pathway of each patient is personalised by our multidisciplinary team meeting (MDT), which is held weekly. Surgical treatments are provided by specialist surgeons in gynaecological oncology and can range from minimal access surgery by laparoscopy/robotic surgery to major cytoreductive surgery for ovarian cancer or recurrent cancers.

For more information on each cancer type please select the links below:

Follow-up & Survivorship

We place great importance on quality of life after treatment for cancer and offer a variety of support services to achieve this. We have established a lymphoedema early detection service with specialist physiotherapists. Patients may require other appropriate services following their gynaecological cancer treatment such as dietetics, physiotherapy, stoma care and social work. Follow-up appointments may be a combination of physical and virtual reviews.

Research

Our department has a strong academic background and we consider research to be crucial to developing new and better treatments for our patients with gynaecological cancer. We are actively involved in clinical trials and support extensive translational and clinical research activities. In 2019 alone, funding of €1.75 million was granted to support a number of such activities. Our group actively collaborates with basic scientists and clinicians both nationally and internationally and we are a member of the Science Foundation Ireland funded research cluster Precision Oncology Ireland.

• P2.7: Improving Immuno-Checkpoint Inhibitor (ICI) Therapies

We will routinely ask our patients for their permission to take part within our research program and will discuss this in detail with you.

Referral Pathway

Patients can be referred to the Gynae Oncology MDT service by their treating hospital or GP using our official MDT Referral Form (see link below). Completed forms must be accompanied by all relevant radiology and pathology reports.

Referral forms are received by our MDT Co-ordinator, assessed for completeness and listed for our pre-MDT Radiology Triage Meeting which is held every Wednesday morning.

At this meeting, images are reviewed by our Consultant Radiologist and Consultant Gynaecological Oncologist and a decision is made as to whether the patient needs further tests prior to MDT. Depending on the clinical indication, patients are then booked for priority clinic and MDT the following week.  

All referrals are triaged within 4 days of receipt of referral, patients are reviewed at Priority Clinic and discussed at MDT the following week if all tests results are available.

MDT referral forms are PDF format and can be completed using the link below. They must be emailed to the MDT Co-ordinator address. Posted or handwritten forms are no longer accepted.

Referrals to: gynaeonc.mdt@mater.ie

MDT Co-ordinator contact number: 01 8032603

Our Team

Useful organisations and further information

• Irish Cancer Society
• MacMillan Cancer Support
• Arc Cancer Support