Mr Paul Thiruchelvam was awarded the iWantGreatCare certificate of excellence in 2024 for delivering outstanding care.
Reviews
I cannot praise Mr Paul Thiruchelvam and his team enough, when I was diagnosed with breast cancer last July following a routine mammogram they explained the planned procedure leading up to and after the operation clearly and put me at ease every step of the way.
The Macmillan support team (especially Holly) were also on hand to reassure me and cover any concerns I had.
Many thanks Paul for all your care and attention.
With best regards
Christine Davies
I was diagnosed with grade 2 stage 3 lobular cancer in November 2018. Mr Paul Thiruchelvam has been caring for me since diagnosis. Mine has not been the easiest of journeys as after every subsequent test the picture has been more complicated. At every meeting Mr Thiruchelvam has treated me with empathy, compassion and respect, at no time have I felt misinformed. I have never felt I couldn’t ask any questions and at each meeting was given the time and attention that we both felt was needed. I was also offered an axillary reverse mapping and lymphatic procedure which I accepted, a new procedure which if successful can reduce the chances of lymphedema. Cancer is a personal journey, with the care skill and support I have been given from Mr Thiruchelvam I feel I have been given the best possible fighting chance.
From finding a lump in my breast on 12th October to having surgery on 10th December I feel nothing but gratitude for the NHS. In particular I have had excellent care from Paul Thiruchelvam and his team. From my first consultation with him he has been very clear and straightforward about what my treatment would be and answered my questions and those of friends and family who accompanied me to some appointments. He explained that surgery on my left breast would cause it to be raised a little higher than my right one and offered me the chance to have the right one raised to match but at the age of 75 I didn't feel this was necessary. In the event I had breast-conserving surgery on my left breast, in which the lump and some surrounding tissue was removed. Paul had explained to me that this would not leave a hole because he would move some breast tissue from lower down to fill the space! I am very happy with the result and feel confident about the future. I believe I could not have had better treatment during what has been a stressful time for me and my family. I am recovering from expert surgery far quicker than I expected, with hardly any need for pain relief.
I found Mr Paul Thiruchelvam to be an excellent doctor. He explained everything clearly, presenting the facts whilst making every effort to reassure me. I never felt rushed and was given opportunities to ask questions as often as I needed to. The treatment was carried out quickly and painlessly and I am grateful to Paul Thiruchelvam and his team for ensuring the outcome was a success.
Receiving the diagnosis of breast cancer is never going to be easy, but from that moment on I had no doubt of the expertise and excellence of Paul Thiruchelvam. He was compassionate, practical and forthright about the path that I would take over the coming days, weeks & months.
He very clearly described the process of tests & formal diagnosis onto lumpectomy, lymph biopsy and finally reconstruction. He discussed the options but recommended a LICAP flap explaining why this would deliver the best results given my case. He also quite accurately commented, that upon diagnosis, reconstruction might not be my primary concern but that over time it would become much more important. I am happy to say the result has been amazing and despite two surgeries for this procedure I look almost identical to before.
Paul is incredibly thorough, diligent and kind and has an ability to make you feel the most important person in his day. If a friend or loved one ever needed a breast surgeon, I hope they would be under Paul’s care, they couldn’t be in safer hands.
Words cannot express my gratitude enough – thank you Paul
PS
I also wanted to mention all the ladies at Charring Cross Hospital Breast Services Clinic – they were lovely, kind and caring and made a bad situation bearable. Thank you x
Specialises in
- General surgery
Profile
Paul is a Consultant Breast and Reconstructive Surgeon at Imperial College NHS Trust and an Honorary Senior Lecturer in Surgery at Imperial College, London.
He graduated from Imperial College in 2000 and undertook his Surgical Training in North West Thames, during which time he rotated through the breast units at Imperial College and The Royal Marsden. He completed his surgical training as a National Oncoplastic Group (TIG) fellow at the Nottingham Breast Institute, where he undertook research mapping the anatomy of chest wall perforator flaps (LICAP & LTAPs) in partial and total breast reconstruction.
Paul has undertaken travelling fellowships to the MD Anderson, Mayo Clinic, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centers, and was awarded a Winston Churchill Memorial Fellowship in 2016, visiting the United States and Japan to observe the use of axillary reverse mapping (ARM) and Lymphatic Microsurgical Preventing Healing Approach (LYMPHA) in primary lymphoedema prevention. Paul is actively involved in lymphedema prevention and surveillance.
As a member of the member of the expert panel on breast cancer related lymphoedema, he was involved in drafting best practice guidelines for the American Society of Breast Surgeons. He is the current Chair of oncoplastic breast surgery for the American College of Surgeons and the and serves on the oncoplastic faculty for the American Society of Breast Surgeons and teaches on Surgical Techniques for the Prevention and Management of Lymphedema for the American Society of Breast Surgeons.
Paul received his PhD in Molecular Oncology from Imperial College in 2010, under supervision from Professors Simak Ali, Laki Buluwela and Charles Coombes. He was awarded the first joint clinical research fellowship from the Royal College of Surgeons and Cancer Research:UK to fund his research. He is actively involved in clinical trials, including the multi-centre PRADA trial.