Eye lid and orbital (eye socket) cancers

What do we do? | Who are we?

What if I think I might have eye cancer? | Referral criteria

Clinic Days and Times | Treatment | Support Contacts

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Manchester Royal Eye Hospital
Oxford Rd
Manchester
M13 9WL
Telephone: 0161 276 5569
Fax: 0161 272 6618

What do we do?
The Royal Eye Hospital provides a regional service for the management of cancers of the eye lids and the surrounding tissues, including the socket (also known as periocular and orbital malignancies), as well as plastic surgery to the eye after treatment, if needed. The service sees people from the North West region, and beyond.

Cancers of the eye itself (eyeball) are not treated at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital. In the North West the specialist centres for eye cancers are at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, and the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Liverpool.

The team at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital works closely with the Mohs Micrographic Surgery Department at Hope Hospital, Salford (see 'Treatments' for more information about Mohs surgery), as well as the Christie Hospital, Manchester).

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Who are we?
Lead clinicians for the Oculoplastic and Orbital service:
Mr Brian Leatherbarrow
Consultant Oculoplastic Surgeon

0161 276 5569

Mr Saj Ataullah
Consultant Oculoplastic Surgeon

0161 276 5638

Mrs Anne Cook

Consultant Oculoplastic Surgeon

0161 276 5226

Other members of the team:
Helen Rostron 276 5569
Medical secretary 0161 276 5569

Mr Nick Telfer
Consultant Mohs Micrographic Surgeon Hope Hospital 0161 787 1010

Dr Luciane Irion

Specialist Ophthalmic Pathologist

0161 276 6232

Dr Richard Bonshek
Specialist Ophthalmic Pathologist

0161 276 5568

Secretary 0161 276 5619

Mr John Cooper
Oculoplastic Nurse Practitioner

0161 276 1234 (ask to bleep 5235)

Ocular Prosthetics team:
Mrs Louise Shorrocks 0161 276 5540
Mrs Andrea Morris 0161 276 5540

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What if I think I have might have a cancer of the eyelids and the surrounding tissues/ what should I look out for?
If you are worried that you might have a cancer of the eyelids or surrounding tissues, you should go and see your family doctor (GP) as soon as possible. Suspected cancer of the eyelids and surrounding tissues may be found by an optician, who can also refer you to a specialist, if necessary. Your GP or optician will then decide whether you should be sent to see a doctor who specialises in cancers of the eyelids and surrounding tissues.
Symptoms of cancer of the eyelids and surrounding tissues can include:

• lumps around the eye that do not go
• ulcers on the eyelids that do not heal
• permanent loss of eyelashes
• bleeding when there has not been an injury
• a change in the appearance of the skin on the eyelids.
  

Symptoms of cancer of the eyeball include protrusion of the eyeball (sticking out more than normal).

It is important to get any of these symptoms checked out by your GP. You should remember that in most cases these symptoms may not be caused by a cancer, but the earlier a cancer is caught the greater the chance of it being treated successfully.

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Referral criteria back to top
All urgent referrals for suspected cancers of the eyelid or surrounding tissues should be marked 'urgent' and posted to the Royal Eye Hospital by the patients' GP or optician, or faxed to 0161 272 6618

Clinic days and times back to top
Clinics are held on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday mornings at the Royal Eye Hospital. For information about the Out-Patients Department please click here.

 

Treatment back to top
The treatment for cancer is decided on an individual basis, so the treatment may not be the same for everyone.

The treatment given will depend on:

• The type of cancer and where it is
• If it has spread elsewhere in the body
• The general health of the person with cancer
• The wishes of the person with cancer
  

The doctor will discuss treatment options with the person with cancer and help them decide which is the best one for them. For more general information about treatments for cancer click here.

A lot of people with cancer worry that if they go to the Christie Hospital for treatment it means their cancer must be worse. This is not true. Many of the teams at hospitals in Greater Manchester work closely with the doctors from the Christie Hospital. This means that some people go to the Christie Hospital for treatment not because their cancer is worse but because that is where the doctors are based. All patients needing radiotherapy also go to the Christie Hospital. This is because that is where the radiotherapy machines are.

Skin cancers of the eyelids may be treated with Dr Telfer at Hope Hospital at Salford using Mohs micrographic surgery, with reconstructive plastic surgery carried out by the oculoplastic team at Manchester Royal Eye hospital, if necessary.

Cancers of the orbit (eye socket) are treated by the team at the Royal Eye Hospital, often together with the oncology service at the Christie hospital.

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Support for people affected by cancers of the eyelids and surrounding tissues back to top
The Occuloplastic Nurse Practitioner, John Cooper, is available to provide information and support to people affected by cancers of the eyelids and surrounding tissues. He can be contacted by telephoning the switchboard on 0161 276 1234 and asking them to bleep 5235.

Support Contacts back to top
There are many different types of self-help and support groups. They may be set up by people who wanted help to cope with their illness or treatment, or by professionals. The activities they offer may vary. For example, some hold informal get togethers or structured meetings with activities and speakers. Some groups may produce a newsletter, offer telephone or internet support, befriending and home or hospital visiting.

The authors of this site do not endorse any particular groups, and anyone looking for a support group is advised to find out more about the group, including who runs it, what it offers and what its aims are.

Cancer of the eye linkline
PO Box 2586, Radstock, Bath, Somerset, BA3 2YP
Telephone: 01761 411055
e-mail: cell@zoom.co.uk
Provide support and information to anyone who has, or has had, cancer of the eye. Also anyone adapting to life with a false eye (prosthesis).

Cancerbackup
3 Bath Place
Rivington Street
London
EC2A 3JR
www.cancerbackup.org.uk
Freephone helpline 0808 800 1234
Support and information for people affected by cancer, including over 50 booklets and 134 factsheets on cancer, treatment and living with cancer
Helpline staffed by nurse specialists.

Macmillan Cancer Support
89 Albert Embankment
London
SE1 7EQ
Macmillan CancerLine freephone helpline 0808 808 2020
Textphone: 0808 808 0121
www.macmillan.org.uk
Support and information for people affected by cancer, including information on cancer support and care charities in the UK, and leaflets/booklets about different cancers and living with cancer. Also information about Macmillan services, from nursing to grants.
Link to Language Line to help callers in up to 150 languages.

NHS Direct
Telephone service: 0845 46 47
Textphone 0845 606 46 47
NHS Direct Online www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk
24 hour telephone service with confidential advice and health information provided by nurses. Access to interpreters.
Website with information about cancer and cancer treatments.

Cancer Aid and Listening Line
Helpline providing a confidential service for people with cancer, their families and friends, run by trained volunteers with personal experience of cancer. Offers a listening ear and emotional support
Telephone: 0845 123 23 29
Website: www.canceraid.co.uk

If you would like any further information please contact the Cancer Information and Support Project team by e-mailing here.

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