The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre's pioneering metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC) service has been singled out for praise in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) annual report for 2024/25.
We are the only hospital in the UK with a dedicated specialist MSCC service offering emergency diagnosis and treatment seven days a week. Our model helped to shape the new NICE guidelines that were published in 2023, based on evidence from our patients showing what an enormous difference it makes to patients' outcomes.
Metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC) is a serious medical emergency that can develop when cancer spreads to the spine and puts pressure on the spinal cord. Without rapid diagnosis and treatment - usually within 24 hours - this can cause permanent damage and patients can become paralysed or lose control of bodily functions.
Our specialist team are available from 7:30am to 8:00pm seven days a week, offering clinical advice, diagnosis and treatment. Healthcare professionals in other hospitals or primary care can contact the team for expert advice and assessment of any patients who have a suspected or diagnosed MSCC. Patients who need further care such as emergency radiotherapy to reduce the pressure on the spinal cord are brought to CCC-Liverpool for this and then go back to their referring trust or home.
The NICE Annual Report 2024/25 highlights our award-winning MSCC service as a case study showing how providers are improving care in line with NICE guidelines. NICE drew on evidence from The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre that showed an enormous improvement in mortality and clinical outcomes for MSCC patients since we introduced this new service in 2017.
MSCC Service Lead Kate Lacey was also part of the expert advisory panel that helped to produce the new NICE guidelines in 2023.
You can read the entry about our MSCC service on page 25 of the NICE Annual Report.
