Patients who are treated by professionals specialising in cancer and working together as a team have a better outcome than those not managed by such teams. 

Cancer units have been set up so that professionals with an expertise in treating the most common cancers can be brought together. Northern Ireland has 5 Cancer units.  They are located in:

• Altnagelvin Hospital
• Antrim Hospital
• Craigavon Hospital
• Ulster Hospital
• Belfast City Hospital & Royal Victoria Hopsital

Cancer units provide care for people with the more common cancers such as lung, breast and colorectal. Services for less common cancers are shared between the Units and the Cancer Centre.

Cancer Units can also provide a range of chemotherapies, which allows more patients to be treated closer to home.