Expert Witness – Professor Sarah O’Dwyer
Consultant Colorectal / Lower GI & General Surgeon

Professor O’Dwyer is a nationally and internationally acclaimed Consultant Surgeon practising at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust where she is the founder of the Colorectal and Peritoneal Oncology Centre (CPOC). She has extensive experience in elective and emergency general GI and colorectal surgery. She has developed a specialist practice in surgical oncology; managing advanced and recurrent rectal cancer, colon cancer and rare GI cancers including neuroendocrine and anal cancers. She is a leader in peritoneal surface malignancy having treated over 1000 patients with cytoreductive surgery and intraperitoneal chemotherapy. In addition to her NHS commitments, Professor O’Dwyer is an Honorary Clinical Chair of the Division of Cancer Sciences at the University of Manchester.

Professor O’Dwyer has a special interest in colorectal cancer, pelvic oncology, peritoneal malignancy and proctology. Her team provides a national service for peritoneal surface malignancy and lead specialist multidisciplinary teams (MDT) for pelvic, colorectal, peritoneal and anal cancers; in 2013 they were made Cancer Care Team of the Year at the BMJ and Macmillan awards.

Professor O’Dwyer is actively involved in clinical and translational research exploring the mechanisms involved in peritoneal spread of colorectal cancer and exploring novel treatments for rare GI cancers. She has recently created The Academy of Surgical Oncology, with the expectation to generate International recognition in the field of peritoneal metastases. Special research interests include advanced and recurrent rectal cancer, anal cancer, appendix cancer, colorectal peritoneal metastases, neuroendocrine tumours and pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP).

Professor O’Dwyer has published extensively, with over 130 peer-reviewed publications, chapters in textbooks, articles and reviews relating to colorectal cancer, peritoneal tumours and pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP). She is a recognised Mentor and Educational Supervisor for International Fellowship Programmes. In addition to this, Professor O’Dwyer is regularly invited to give keynote lectures at national and international meetings.

Professor O’Dwyer has been providing medico-legal advice for a number of years and has undergone her expert witness training. She is registered with APIL, AvMA, National Crime Agency (NCA) and UK Register of Expert Witnesses. Professor O’Dwyer enjoys a full medico-legal practice representing both Claimant and Defendant law firms in actions relating to both personal injury and clinical negligence. Her claimant/defendant ratio spilt is approximately 80/20 and she can usually turnaround reports within 6-8 weeks, sooner if required.