Simply Oncology

John McGrane & Michael Rowe

Welcome to Simply Oncology.
Cancer is daunting for both patients and for clinical teams.
Dr John McGrane and Dr Michael Rowe are oncologists who want to break down the complex parts of cancer care into clear and simple sessions.
We will dive deep into the world of cancer research, patient stories and the latest cancer breakthroughs.
Simply Oncology will have patient focused episodes along with episodes that allow anyone with an interest in oncology to stay up to date.

We hope you join us as we unpick all parts of cancer.

John & Mike

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114 episodes
Updated Friday

Episodes114

Newest first

Jun 5, 2025 · 22 min
Episode 53: Discussing Upper tract urothelial cancer (The non-identical twin) with Professor Alison Birtle
Send us Fan Mail Join us as we return with another special episode with Professor Alison Birtle. This time we discuss Upper Tract Urothelial (or ureteric) Cancer. Alison is an internationally recognised expert in this area and was lead on the POUT adjuvant chemotherapy in ureteric cancer trial. She describes it as the non-identical twin to bladder urothelial cancer and we discuss the different approaches to this rare cancer. Described as 'The Queen of Upper Tract Urothelial Cancer' she shares her views on management and areas for development. Enjoy
May 29, 2025 · 35 min
Episode 52: Discussing Peri-operative trials in Bladder Cancer with Professor Alison Birtle
Send us Fan Mail 🚨May is Bladder Cancer Awareness Month 🎙️What better way to mark this than a Simply Oncology Podcast - Bladder Cancer episode with the irrepressible Professor Alison Birtle. Alison is an internationally recognised expert in bladder and prostate cancer - and is a Simply Oncology Friend of the Show. 🎙️We discuss the recent peri-operative trials such as NIAGARA 🎙️What do surgical adjuvant and neoadjuvant trails now mean for the bladder cancer pathway? 🎙️What is our position on post operative radiotherapy in bladder cancer??
May 20, 2025 · 34 min
Episode 51: Learning about Cancer of Unknown Primary with Dr Natalie Cook
Send us Fan Mail 🤔Do you know your Cancer of Unknown Primary from your Malignancy of Unknown Origin. 🤔Do you think World CUP Alliance is a football tournament? Cancer of unknown primary is the 6th most common cause of cancer death in the UK 🎙️Find out with Dr Natalie Cook from The Christie Hospital who is a UK expert in CUP.
May 9, 2025 · 21 min
Episode 49: In the Clinic - Erdafitinib & Enfortumab Vedotin in metastatic urothelial cancer with Professor Rob Jones
Send us Fan Mail Part 2 of our discussion on bladder cancer with Professor Rob Jones. We have new drug classes in Bladder cancer !! We look at Erdafitinib which is coming in the post Immunotherapy space to NHS England. We also look ahead to Antibody Drug Conjugates - in particular Enfortumab Vedotin - with EV 302 trial results and what access to this means for the UK bladder community. These are exciting times and we discuss potential side effects of these classes of drugs and how we intend to use them. Enjoy
May 8, 2025 · 32 min
Episode 50: In the Clinic - 50 years of Royal Charter for the Royal College of Radiologists with Dr Katharine Halliday and Dr Tom Roques
Send us Fan Mail The Royal College of Radiologists celebrates 50 years of Royal Charter this year!!! Join us as we explore 50 years of the RCR Royal Charter with the President - Dr Katharine Halliday and Vice President - Dr Tom Roques. We look at the achievements of the Royal College of Radiologists have made over the years and look to the future of cancer care at the RCR. We hear how the RCR is our voice as a community of Radiologists and Oncologists. It guides our learning and sets the standards for our training and profession. We even justify the membership fees for any sceptics. In this our 50th episode of the Simply Oncology Podcast we celebrate the Royal College of Radiologists 50th anniversary of Royal Charter Status!!
Apr 29, 2025 · 27 min
Episode 48: In the clinic- discussing Advanced Bladder Cancer with Professor Rob Jones
Send us Fan Mail Join us for this Simply Oncology is Back in Bladder Cancer with the amazing Prof Rob Jones. Part 1 of 2 on a free ranging overview of metastatic bladder cancer treatment in the UK. Cisplatin vs Carboplatin Role of IO 2nd line chemo?
Apr 24, 2025 · 30 min
Episode 47: Patient Fundamentals - Understanding Head and Neck Cancer with Dr Claire Paterson
Send us Fan Mail Join us for this episode where we explore Head and Neck cancers and their treatment. This is a group of cancers from the mouth to the vocal cords and make up the 8th most common group of cancers in the UK. Almost 13000 cases happen each year in the UK. We discuss the major role that radiotherapy plays and the process and side effects. Teamwork is a major component of Head and Neck cancer therapy. We also discuss how immunotherapy has a role in advanced Head & Neck cancer. A must listen for anyone supporting or being treated for Head & Neck cancer.
Apr 2, 2025 · 23 min
Episode 45: Fundamentals - Discussing breast radiotherapy with Professor Mark Beresford (part1)
Send us Fan Mail Join us for the first part of this 2 part masterclass in breast radiotherapy. Breast radiotherapy is a major component of breast cancer treatment. It forms a large part of all radiotherapy delivered across cancer centres. After removal of a breast tumour radiotherapy is offered to reduce the chance of local relapse of the cancer. We talk to Professor Mark Beresford who is chair of the UK Breast Group about how breast radiotherapy has gone from 5 weeks of treatment to 1 week. We talk about side effects and when we offer an extra radiotherapy boost to the area the tumour was. We also discuss radiotherapy for reducing the risk of disease in the axilla (armpit) and the current surgery versus radiotherapy debate for that area. This is a must listen for anyone wanting to learn more about breast radiotherapy.
Apr 2, 2025 · 18 min
Episode 46: Fundamentals - Discussing breast radiotherapy with Professor Mark Beresford (part 2)
Send us Fan Mail Welcome back for our 2nd part of our radiotherapy update on breast cancer. We finish our discussion with Professor Mark Beresford who is Chair of the UK Breast Group. We discuss the timing of radiotherapy around breast reconstruction. We look at situations where we treat other areas such and above the collar bone (supraclavicular) or central area (internal mammary) areas. We examine when radiotherapy may be offered after mastectomy. We also look at when we may be able to avoid using radiotherapy after breast surgery in low risk cases. Another must listen.
Mar 31, 2025 · 17 min
Episode 44: In the Clinic - Discussing how we bridge cancer Health Inequities with Dr Olubukola Ayodele
Send us Fan Mail Join us for the 2nd part of our discussion with Dr Olubukola (Bookie) Ayodele on health inequities in cancer care. We look at potential steps to promote health equity. Bookie introduces the concept of 'Cultural Competency' in helping health professionals discuss the very challenging topic that is cancer. We hear how biological difference in blood results can play role in excluding black patients from certain chemotherapy trials. We think about the stepwise change and education needed to make healthcare more accessible to all. Enjoy
Mar 28, 2025 · 24 min
Episode 43; In the Clinic - Health inequities in cancer care - Dr Olubukola Ayodele part 1
Send us Fan Mail Join us for this Simply Oncology podcast episode on Health Inequites in the UK with Dr Olubukola Ayodele. 🎙️We discuss the challenges in delivering equitable cancer care across all patients in the UK. 🎙️we hear a recent report stating that black women with breast cancer have 30%higher mortality than equivalent Caucasian women in theUK! 🎙️This is not just an issue for low and middle income countries! We need to Mind the Gap and Bridge the Gap.
Mar 21, 2025 · 20 min
Episode 42: In the Clinic - Part 2 of Bladder preservation in bladder cancer with Ananya Choudhury
Send us Fan Mail Join us for our second part of our discussions with the excellent Professor Ananya Choudhury where we discuss the option of bladder preserving treatment in muscle invasive bladder cancer. In this episode we hear Ananya's views on new Antibody Drug Conjugate trials being used as an alternative to radiotherapy in a bladder 'preservation' strategy. She is clear that this is experimental only at this stage and does not meet any true definition of bladder preservation in her view. A fascinating and enjoyable discussion around all aspects of muscle invasive bladder cancer. Enjoy Role that ADCs may have on bladder preservation.
Mar 14, 2025 · 24 min
Episode 41: In the Clinic - Discussing bladder radiotherapy and preservation in Bladder cancer with Professor Ananya Choudhury
Send us Fan Mail Join us for this episode focusing on the role of radiotherapy in the treatment of bladder cancer. We talk to leading bladder radiotherapy expert Professor Ananya Choudhury. Ananya is passionate about all things bladder cancer related and discusses her views on bladder preservation and radiotherapy. She makes a strong case for bladder radiotherapy in muscle invasive bladder cancer versus surgery and we review the evidence. We also talk about the use of 'plan of the day' and on set imaging in radiotherapy. This is a fascinating insight from a world expert in bladder cancer. We hope you enjoy.
Mar 7, 2025 · 15 min
Episode 40: In the Clinic - Discussing Burnout & individual Resilience with Professor Susana Banerjee (part 2)
Send us Fan Mail Join us in this second part of discussing resilience and burnout and oncology with Professor Susana Banerjee. In our last episode we looked at the ESMO Resilience Taskforce and what institutions should do to improve resilience. In this episode we discuss what can help us on an individual level. A lot of it comes down to a feeling of job satisfaction. That can be having some variety to maintain interest and keeping the parts of the job that we value at our core. Susie shares some personal views that echo this view in this episode. We hope you enjoy.
Feb 28, 2025 · 28 min
Episode 39: In the Clinic - ESMO Resilience Task Force & Oncology Burnout with Professor Susana Banerjee
Send us Fan Mail Burnout in oncology and throughout healthcare is a major issue. An ESMO survey conducted in young Oncologists in 2013-2014 revealed 70% of young oncologists in Europe were impacted by burnout. 25% of oncologists surveyed were thinking of a change of career and 38% of leaving the profession. All this at a time of needing more oncologists! Join us in this 2 part episode where we join the superb Professor Susana Banerjee. She discusses the issue of burnout and the excellent work done by the ESMO Resilience Task Force on this critical issue. Professor Banerjee is an internationally renowned medical oncologist at The Royal Marsden Hospital treating and researching gynaecological cancers. She has been heavily involved in the ESMO Resilience project and looking for strategies for dealing with the huge problem that is burnout in oncology. We hope you find this as useful as we have! https://www.esmoopen.com/article/S2059-7029(24)01403-0/fulltext
Feb 21, 2025 · 35 min
Episode 38: In the Clinic - The Shape of oncology with Dr Tom Roques, Vice-President of the RCR
Send us Fan Mail Join us for this special episode of the Simply Oncology Podcast. We have special guest Dr Tom Roques who is the Vice-President of the Royal College of Radiologists and lead for Clinical Oncology. Tom speaks candidly and clearly on ; - the challenges facing oncology - the opportunities AI may bring in oncology - the clinical oncology model - the role of the RCR in shaping UK oncology Enjoy
Feb 14, 2025 · 29 min
Episode 37: In the Clinic - How to become an oncologist with Dr Louise Hanna- RCR lead for medical training
Send us Fan Mail Join us for this episode of Simply Oncology where we discuss how to become an oncologist. Oncology is always a forward thinking and progressive speciality and this involves training and developing training people to meet that challenge. We talk to Dr Louise Hanna who is an oncologist who treats gynaecological cancers at Velindre Hospital in Cardiff. She is also the Medical Director, Education and Training (MDET) for the Royal College of Radiologist (RCR). We discuss the appeal of becoming an oncologist. The skills needed to deliver and co-ordinate cancer care. How you can find out more if you are interested in becoming an oncologist. An unmissable episode if you are interested in a career in oncology. Enjoy!
Feb 7, 2025 · 34 min
Episode 36: In the Clinic - Discussing anal cancer with Dr Rebecca Muirhead
Send us Fan Mail Join us in this week as we discuss anal cancer with Dr Rebecca Muirhead. Based at Oxford University Hospital, Dr Muirhead has played a key role in the adoption of IMRT in anal cancer. She is part of the ACT and PLATO trial group and shares her insights from these trials with us. We discuss the principles of escalation and de-escalation in the PLATO trial to match the risk of the disease. Rebecca also very elegantly discusses the pros and cons of re-irradiation in anal cancer to try to regain control of anal caner symptoms in patients where cancer returns. Enjoy!
Jan 31, 2025 · 38 min
Episode 35: In the Clinic - Overview of prostate radiotherapy with Dr Alison Tree, 37 to 5 treatments
Send us Fan Mail Join us as we discuss all things prostate radiotherapy with Dr Alison Tree. Alison is synonymous with all things prostate radiotherapy and is superb at setting the scene for prostate cancer. Based at The Royal Marsden Hospital, and The Institute of Cancer Research, Dr Tree has played a key role in several major prostate radiotherapy trials. These include working alongside Professor Nicholas Van As in the PACE trial portfolio and also working on the PIVOTAL Boost trial. She has special interest in MR-guided prostate radiotherapy (the PRISM trial), boosting dominant intra-prostatic lesions (the DELINEATE trial) and hypofractionation in prostate cancer. Alison Tree is an amazing speaker on the subject of prostate radiotherapy and we are sure this will be of of interest to anyone interested in prostate cancer or radiotherapy. This episode contains everything we could want to know about the current position of prostate radiotherapy and future directions of travel. Enjoy
Jan 24, 2025 · 24 min
Episode 34: In the Clinic - Part 2 of discussing high grade brain tumours with Professor Anthony Chalmers
Send us Fan Mail Join us for part 2 of our excellent review of high grade brain tumours with Professor Anthony Chalmers. We look at the role of PARPi and the challenges with new therapies in high grade gliomas. We discuss tumour treatment fields, vaccine trials and immunotherapy in brain tumours. We also hear Prof Chalmers wish list for helping advance research in brain tumours. We hope you enjoy!