Published on: 20th August 2026
A collaboration between four clinical surgical specialities from three NHS Trusts has successfully removed a tumour from a patient’s shoulder blade that threatened to cut off his airway if left untreated.
Surgeons from RNOH, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust carried out the surgery in The Royal Marsden theatres on Thursday 13 August.
Patient Brandon Lee, 26, a former hydraulic engineer from Barnet, was diagnosed with a chondrosarcoma in his scapula (shoulder blade) and referred to RNOH.
Chondrosarcomas are rare bone cancers that grow out of cartilage-type cells found in areas of the bone called growth plates.
Brandon has been diagnosed with hereditary multiple exostoses, a genetic condition caused by mutations in the EXT1 or EXT2 genes which results in multiple hard masses appearing near a person’s joints. There is a lifetime risk of between 2% to 10% that these benign growths may transform into chondrosarcomas.
Due to the size (approximately 20cm in length and 4 kgs in weight) and location of the tumour, as well as the risk it posed to Brandon’s respiratory system, a team of specialists was assembled to carry out the operation.
They included Professor Craig Gerrand and Mr Sudhir Kannan, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeons from RNOH; Professor Vinidh Paleri, Consultant Head and Neck Surgeon, Dr Andrew McLeod, Consultant Anaesthetist, and Mr Aadil Khan, Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon from The Royal Marsden; and Professor Colin Bicknell, Consultant Vascular Surgeon from Imperial.
The team of specialists were able to remove the tumour, including Brandon’s scapula and part of his collarbone, without damaging his airway and while retaining his hand function.
Brandon said: “I feel really fortunate to have had a great team behind me here. Everyone involved from all three hospitals has been really helpful and explained everything from start to finish. My family have provided so much support and have been by my side the whole way, helping keep my courage up and keep me thinking positively. When I’m fully recovered, I’m looking forward to spending more time with my kids and getting back to living a normal life.”
Professor Vinidh Paleri, Consultant Head and Neck Surgeon at The Royal Marsden and Professor of Head and Neck Surgery at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, said: “This operation shows the NHS at its very best. Three NHS trusts have come together to provide the very best care for this patient, each bringing their own expertise. A regular major cancer surgery may require, at most, 6-7 surgeons, but this operation required up to 15, so the level of orchestration needed to make this happen was incredible.”
Professor Gerrand, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at RNOH, said: “Although we manage a lot of patients at RNOH, from time to time we have to phone a friend.
"We came to The Royal Marsden because this particular patient had a tumour that required their expertise as well as ours. The tumour was very large and involved the whole of his shoulder blade, having also grown onto the chest wall and into the neck. By operating here, we are able to access other specialists who are used to operating in the neck and also on the chest wall.
“One of the things we underestimate in the NHS is the ability to collaborate across hospitals and it has been a great pleasure to work alongside our colleagues.”
We wish Brandon a speedy recovery.