How we can help you

Radiation therapy involves the use of high-energy radiation therapy to control or kill tumour cells. It may be used to cure disease, reduce symptoms such as pain, and/or to prevent disease recurrence. Radiation therapy is a safe, effective and important part of the management of a range of cancers. Radiation can also be used for non-cancerous diseases. It may be given on its own or with other forms of treatment such as chemotherapy or surgery. Like having a routine X-ray, radiation therapy is painless.

Radiation therapy is a localised treatment which means it generally only affects the part of the body requiring treatment. Modern techniques accurately target cancer cells whilst minimising effects on normal healthy tissues.

Radiation therapy is most commonly given in the form of external X-rays generated from a treatment machine (Linear Accelerator). A course of radiotherapy treatment is often delivered over a number of days to weeks.

Radiotherapy treatment can also be delivered internally where small radioactive sources are placed inside the body (Brachytherapy). St George Cancer care centre specializes in a comprehensive list of brachytherapy services including prostate, breast, gynaecological, lung and other sites.

Types of radiation therapy treatments available at St George Cancer Care Centre:

• Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)
• Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT)Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) for malignant and non-malignant diseases
• Volumetric Modulated Radiation Therapy (VMAT)
• Brachytherapy 

Your assessment, treatment planning and care are delivered at our clinics and specialist radiation therapy facilities in the Cancer Care Centre at St George Hospital. The radiation oncology team includes doctors, nurses, radiation therapists, medical physicists and allied health professionals who will work together to ensure the best approach to suit your individual needs.

Who we are

Our radiation oncologists include:

• Dr Andrej Bece
• Dr Nadine Beydoun
• Dr Joseph Bucci
• Dr Yaw Chin
• Dr Catherine Clark
• A/Prof Peter Graham
• Dr Gina Hesselberg
• Dr Lucinda Morris
• Dr Reza Rahbari

How to make or cancel an appointment

If you have a suspected or confirmed cancer you may be referred by your medical specialist or your local family doctor to use our services. Please request your doctor to send us your referral letter and all relevant test results. Once we have received a completed referral, we will send you a confirmation appointment letter, which will tell you where your appointment is located and what information you should bring with you. 

If you need to change or cancel your appointment, please call us on (02) 9113 3909 / (02)9113 1570

What should I bring to my appointment?

• Medical referral if you have it, relevant pathology results
• Current Medicare card or Veteran Affairs card
• Any Health Care Card, Pensioner Concession Card or Commonwealth Seniors Health Care Card.
• Insurer details (for example: workers compensation, public liability or third party).
• Your Private Health Fund Membership card if you are currently insured with a private health fund.Recent x-rays or medical images and their reports, if applicable.

Do you need an Interpreter?

Please let us know if you need an interpreter. You can contact us telephoning the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) on 131 450.

Tell the operator what language you speak and then ask the Interpreter to set up a telephone conversation between you, an Interpreter, and the healthcare professional you want to speak with.

Support Our Services

Information about our to support our services and research can be found here https://southerncancercare.com.au/

Contact us

Phone
For appointments and clinic changes:
(02)9113 3943 / (02)9113 3943 / (02) 9113 1570 
For the Radiation Oncology Department: 
Dr Catherine Clark 
A/Prof Peter Graham
(02) 9113 3903

Dr Joseph Bucci 
Dr Nadine Beydoun 
Dr Gina Hesselberg 
(02)9113 3831

Dr Andrej Bece 
Dr Yaw Chin
Dr Reza Masoud Rahbari 
Dr Greg Robertson (Gynaecological Oncologist)
(02)9113 3934

Fax
(02) 9113-3913

Email
SESLHD-STGCancerCare@health.nsw.gov.au

Head of Department
Dr Catherine Clark

Nurse Unit Manager
Jake Craven

Opening hours

Monday to Friday 7:30am to 5.00pm

How to find us

We are located in the Cancer Care Centre, St George Hospital. The Cancer Care Centre can be accessed from Chapel Street Kogarah or via the corridor to the left of the Gray Street entrance of St George Hospital.

How we can help you

We provide care to people with cancer who are living in the community or staying in our Hospital. Our team of medical specialists use the latest research. We work with cancer care coordinators, radiation oncology, palliative care and nursing to provide holistic care for our patients.
 
We provide:

• Chemotherapy - medicines that destroy cancer cells.
• Immunotherapy - a treatment that helps your immune system fight cancer.
• Hormonal therapy for cancers that grow in response to your body’s hormones. This treatment uses synthetic hormones to block your natural hormones. This helps to reduce the size and slow down the spread of the cancer.
• Targeted therapy - medicines that work on specific features of cancer cells to stop it growing and spreading.

We provide chemotherapy services to people living in the community through our Haematology Oncology Day Centre (HODC). Here we provide short stay treatments and patient education. Our senior nursing staff will work with our specialists to deliver your treatment.
 
Our medical specialists see new patients and review the progress of current patients in our outpatient clinics located in the Cancer Care Centre, St George Hospital. 
 
If you need higher dose chemotherapy or more supportive care, you may need to stay in our Hospital. We have a ward on level 7A of the Acute Services Building, St George Hospital.
 

St George Hospital Chaplaincy Department is made up of accredited paid and volunteer chaplains across a range of faith backgrounds.  A chaplain is someone trained in pastoral care and can help patients and their families through times of change, grief, loss, anxiety, loneliness, disappointments or celebration and thankfulness. They offer a listening ear, a compassionate presence, and are available to anyone, regardless of faith background or belief.
 
If you would like a chaplain to visit with your loved one, please discuss this with an inpatient team member. 

A non-denominational chapel and Muslim prayer room facilities are available for use in the Tower Block Level 6 and Level 7 respectively and are open 24 hours a day.

The Supportive Care Service (SCS) is for people with a non-cancer life-limiting or progressive illness. The clinic offers management of complex pain or symptoms, associated with the life-limiting illness, requiring specialist multidisciplinary team management, and assistance with goals of care. This could include management of nutrition, swallowing, communication, mobility, facilitating referrals or linking to relevant services, and psychosocial and spiritual support. The clinic operates out of St George Hospital on a Tuesday morning.