Breast care clinic
For treatment of malignant as well as benign breast diseases, patients receive comprehensive management by the multidisciplinary team at the Breast Care Clinic. Combating breast cancer involves team effort, and patient support is of paramount importance to successfully completing a course of treatment.
At the Breast Care Clinic, the full complement of the medical and paramedical teams work closely together as a perfectly coordinated unit within a single facility to provide you with the best possible service. The team provides each patient with treatment and support according to an appropriate care path. The patients are intimately involved at every stage of this management and the coordinating nurse is their point of contact throughout their course of treatment.
For further details, consult the Breast care clinic.
Breast care clinic multidisciplinary team
Oncological surgery
The Gastrointestinal, thoracic and endocrine surgery department has for 40 years been practicing oncological surgery at Clinic Saint-Jean. The various surgeons making up the department have all acquired the necessary skills from their academic training in Belgium and in major oncology centres abroad.
As a tightly-knit team in terms of human resources, with an excellent internal communication network and enough individual skill sets between them, they are able to routinely treat diseases of the colon and rectum, oesophagus, stomach, liver, pancreas, thyroid and adrenal glands as well as the lungs and pleura.
This approach, combined with the use of cutting-edge surgical technologies, enables us to provide our patients with the best quality of care.
Haematology and medical oncology
The Oncology-Haematology department, in collaboration with all of the Clinic’s departments, treats patients with haematologic conditions, malignant or otherwise, and oncological conditions. Each patient has an attending oncologist who coordinates his treatment; this is useful for maintaining a personalised doctor-patient relationship.
Decisions concerning treatment are taken at the multidisciplinary oncological consultation (COM), during which the patient’s condition is discussed with the entire team present. This team is made up of haematologists, medical oncologists, radiotherapists, specialists in clinical biology and pathological anatomy, radiologists and nuclear medicine specialists.
For the more complex cases, a team meeting is organised with other colleagues – university-based or otherwise – from other hospitals in order to be able to recommend the best available or experimental treatments.
The department partners (or closely collaborates) with several paramedics: nurses, psychologists, dieticians and social workers. Particular attention is paid to the patient’s quality of life within the wellness area when organising workshops, art therapy or during oncological rehabilitation; a workshop for children is also being prepared.
Medical oncology and haematology multi-disciplinary team
Dermatological oncology
The dermatology department provides screening, diagnosis and treatment of all skin cancers: from the most common and least dangerous such as basocellular epithelioma, to the more serious ones like malignant melanoma.
The department’s 8 physicians are qualified to perform these tests and choose with you the best recommended treatments, usually in collaboration with the cosmetic surgery or radiotherapy departments.
Dermatological oncology multi-disciplinary team
Gastrointestinal oncology
The gastroenterology department manages the various cancers effecting the gastrointestinal tract (œsophagus, stomach, duodenum, small intestine, colon, rectum and anus) as well as the liver, bile ducts and pancreas.
The oncological measures involve all of the following:
Special attention is paid to investigating genetic predisposition. This would necessitate making recommendations to family members regarding appropriate monitoring of the risk of developing cancer.
The department works in collaboration with Belgian and international centres to make sure that the patient receives the best care currently available.
Gastrointestinal oncology multi-disciplinary team
Endocrine oncology
The endocrinology department manages cancer of the endocrine glands, which pertain primarily to the thyroid gland.
The oncological measures involve all of the following:
The department works in collaboration with Belgian and international centres to make sure that the patient receives the best care currently available.
Endocrine oncology multi-disciplinary team
Gynaecological oncology
The gynaecological department manages all cancers of the female genitals: vulva, vagina, cervix, uterus and ovaries.
The oncological measures involve:
The department liaises with the UCL and KUL teams to offer experimental treatments to our patients in some cases.
Gynaecological oncology multi-disciplinary team
Neurological and neurosurgical oncology
The neurology and neurosurgery departments manage patients with central and peripheral nervous system tumoral diseases.
Oncological brain diseases can affect patients of any age with a peak in incidence depending on the specific pathologies. The incidence of brain tumour disease has increased particularly due to marked improvements in early radiology diagnosis through MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
Our activities consist in :
- Clinical diagnosis and precise diagnostic radiology in collaboration with our diagnostic radiology specialists;
- Medical treatment of symptoms linked to the oncological disease, particularly epileptic attacks
- Surgery and full microsurgery guided by neuronavigation, surgical microscope and intraoperative fluorescence;
- Cross-disciplinary group discussion of the treatments specific to each patient (surgery, chemotherapy, stereotactic or conformational radiotherapy, follow-up;
- Cross-disciplinary radiological and clinical follow-up of each patient.
We use up-to-date management methods:
- Surgical guidance by neuronavigation;
- The use of DTI (Data Tensor imaging) for defining the important nerve bundles to be protected during surgery;
- Surgery guided by intraoperative fluorescence (5-ALA) to identify during the operation the limits between the tumorous and healthy regions of the central nervous system such as Glioblastoma (the most common aggressive brain tumour in adults).
Neurological oncology and neurosurgical oncology multi-disciplinary team
Thoracic oncology
The pneumology department provides complete management for lung cancer and cancer of the pleura.
Lung cancer is one of the 3 most prevalent cancers and is the leading cause of death from cancer in Belgium. Smoking is the primary risk factor.
Each case is systematically discussed at the bi-weekly cross-disciplinary consultation meeting. At this meeting, a treatment plan is formulated based on various parameters such as the cell type of the cancer and its molecular profile, its local, locoregional or metastatic extension and the specific characteristics of the patient such as his medical history and his general state of health.
Once these factors have been taken together, the recommended treatment will be:
- Either a surgical operation; or
- Intravenous chemotherapy; or
- Targeted therapy by oral route; or
- “Stereotaxic” radiotherapy in certain cases; or
- A multimodal approach, i.e. combining various treatment methods.
Cancer of the envelope around the lungs is known as pleural mesothelioma and is mostly due to occupational or environmental exposure to asbestos. Diagnosis often requires that a pleural biopsy be performed during a thoracoscopy (endoscopy of the pleural cavity).
A multidisciplinary oncological consultation is held regarding each new case, resulting in a treatment plan.
Chemotherapy is the standard treatment. Surgery is not recommended outside of strict protocols. Radiotherapy is indicated particularly for pain.
Thoracic oncology multi-disciplinary team
Urologic oncology
The urology department treats various urinary system tumours: tumours of the kidney, ureter, bladder, prostate, urethra, testicles and penis..
The oncological measures include :
- Screening tests, particularly for prostate cancer;
- Diagnosis by means of prostatic biopsies, cystoscopies, etc.;
- Determination of the exact stage and multidisciplinary discussion on the best individualised treatment;
- Surgery, if necessary, referral of the patient to various colleagues (e.g. oncologists, les radiotherapists).
The most modern treatment techniques are applied, such as robot-assisted surgery, for example. The department has close links with the urology departments of the university of UZ Leuven, which is an advantage from the perspective of third-line expertise.
Urological oncology multi-disciplinary team
ENT
The ENT department manages all cancers of the ENT (ear, nose and throat) region.
The oncological measures consists of :
- Screening;
- Diagnosis;
- Formulation of a treatment plan (in agreement with our radiotherapist and oncologist colleagues;
- Treatment (radiotherapy, surgery, laser treatments, chemotherapy);
- Multidisciplinary follow-up of the patient
ENT oncology multi-disciplinary team
Sarcomas
The cosmetic surgery department manages various types of cancers affecting various organs.
The oncological measures primarily involve :
- Skin cancer: melanoma, basocellular and squamous-cell carcinoma
- Breast cancer as part of breast reconstruction by various techniques: prosthesis, latissimus dorsi flap, abdominal (TRAM flap, DIEP flap);
- Formulation of a treatment plan (as a multidisciplinary oncology committee (MOC) in consultation with all of the specialities concerned;
- Follow-up after the treatment.
The department works in collaboration with other centres in Belgium with a view to constantly upgrading knowledge and skills in order for the patient to receive the best care currently available.
Sarcoma multi-disciplinary team
Continuous palliative care
The mobile continuous palliative care team (EMSPC) is a specialised multidisciplinary team made up of a physician, a nurse and a psychologist.
We collaborate closely with the nursing care units and, in consultation with the physician and the referring care team, can provide second-line intervention for patients in the advanced stages of a serious disease. Our aim is to prevent and relieve suffering and other symptoms by managing pain and by offering psychological support to the patient and his relatives and friends. We assist with evaluation and with the plan for discharge of the patient to his home, a nursing home or the palliative care unit.
The continuous palliative care unit provides comprehensive management for patients in the advanced, progressive or terminal stages of a serious disease. This management is provided by a specially trained multidisciplinary team (physicians, nurses, a physiotherapist, a psychologist, a social worker, a spiritual guide, volunteers).
We handle :
- The assessment of pain treatment and treatment of other symptoms;
- Evaluation of the possibility of the patient’s return home;
- Organisation of the patient’s return home with appropriate assistance;
- Respite hospitalisation in the case if reliable family and friends;
- Terminal care and management;
- Etc.
Our unit is intended to be a sociable place with open access to patients’ family and close friends.