Clinical Oncology

The Department of Clinical Oncology of Queen Mary Hospital, formerly known as Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, was established in 1964. It is a tertiary centre for treatment of cancers by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Starting with two orthovoltage machines and treating no more than 300 new patients a year, the department is now equipped with four linear accelerators, one simulator and one high-dose-rate remote after loading brachytherapy machine.

Our Mission

Our department offers comprehensive anti-cancer therapies including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, palliative care. We have improved our service over years to meet patient needs. Suitable patients can opt for latest treatment options like targeted therapies and immunotherapies. Our four linear accelerators and a brachytherapy treatment centre provide radiotherapy treatment with advanced technology. Our professional team consists of doctors from both Hospital Authority and the University of Hong Kong, nurses, physicists, radiation therapists and other staff. Our palliative care team provides comprehensive services like home visit to late-stage cancer patients to help them improve their quality of life.

Our Services

New treatment modalities such as three-dimensional radiotherapy treatment planning, stereotactic radiosurgery, and intensity modulated radiotherapy have been started for over 10 years. Three-dimensional image-guided brachytherapy for cancer of cervix uteri was also started since January 2014. Working together with the Department of Medicine, our centre is one of the bone marrow transplant centres in Hong Kong. Besides these, we are also actively running a number of clinical trials studying new ways of treatment.

The department is located at the ground and first floors of Professorial Block. The Extension Block completed in 1998 is where the Cancer Patients Resource Centre is located, providing palliative service, patient counseling and support services. With the generous support of the Li Ka Shing Foundation Hospice Service Programme, our hospice centre has launched its service in January 2008. Our hospice centre provides holistic care to cancer patients and their relatives with a multidisciplinary team approach. We provide palliative consultative services, as well as home care and day hospice services.

The department is composed of staff from Hospital Authority and the University of Hong Kong. In addition to providing oncology teaching to medical students of the University, it is also a recognized training centre for fellowship examination of the Royal College of Radiologists of the United Kingdom and the Hong Kong College of Radiologists. Clinical training is also provided to students studying for the Degree of Radiography at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

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