Dr David Woolf

Dr David Woolf is a Consultant Clinical Oncologist specialising in lung oncology at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust and an expert witness. He has served as a Consultant Clinical Oncologist since 2015. His principal areas of clinical expertise include lung cancer, advanced radiotherapy techniques, stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR/SBRT), proton beam therapy, MR Linac treatment, systemic anti-cancer therapies and oligometastatic disease.

His current clinical practice is focused on delivering highly specialised treatment for patients with lung cancer, using a combination of advanced radiotherapy and systemic therapies to provide personalised cancer care. He leads the SABR programme at The Christie and is accredited in proton beam radiotherapy, while also delivering treatment using MR-guided radiotherapy. Alongside radiotherapy, he manages patients receiving chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapies and endocrine treatments, tailoring treatment strategies to disease stage and individual patient needs. He also has expertise in intraoperative radiotherapy, CyberKnife therapy, intensity modulated radiotherapy and the management of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS).

Alongside his clinical work, Dr Woolf is an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Manchester and plays an active role in advancing the field of clinical oncology through research, innovation and education. His leadership in modern radiotherapy techniques and involvement in national training programmes ensure his practice remains at the forefront of contemporary cancer care. 

Dr David Woolf has undertaken medico-legal work since 2021, providing independent expert opinion in Clinical Negligence claims on behalf of adult claimants. His medico-legal practice focuses on issues arising in the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer and the delivery of clinical oncology services, drawing on his specialist expertise in advanced radiotherapy techniques and systemic anti-cancer therapies.

He prepares screening, breach of duty and causation reports, including combined breach and causation opinions, providing clear and objective assessments of the standard of oncological care and the relationship between any alleged breach and patient outcome. His expertise encompasses stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR/SBRT), proton beam therapy, MR-guided radiotherapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapies and endocrine treatments. His active clinical practice at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust ensures his opinions are informed by current evidence-based oncology practice and modern radiotherapy standards, enabling him to assist solicitors in understanding complex clinical issues relating to lung cancer management and specialist cancer treatment. 

Dr Woolf's current clinical practice is dedicated to the treatment of patients with lung cancer, with a particular focus on delivering highly specialised radiotherapy for both early-stage and advanced disease. He spends the majority of his clinical time assessing patients, planning complex radiotherapy treatments and delivering personalised cancer care using advanced techniques including stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR/SBRT), proton beam therapy and MR-guided radiotherapy. He also manages patients receiving systemic anti-cancer treatments, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapies and endocrine therapy, tailoring treatment strategies to optimise outcomes while minimising treatment-related toxicity.

A key area of his specialist practice is the management of oligometastatic disease, where advanced radiotherapy techniques are used to treat patients with limited metastatic cancer. He also has expertise in intraoperative radiotherapy, intensity modulated radiotherapy, CyberKnife treatment and the management of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Through his leadership of the SABR service at The Christie and his accreditation in proton beam radiotherapy, he remains at the forefront of modern radiation oncology, combining technological innovation with evidence-based practice to deliver highly specialised care for patients with thoracic malignancies and other cancers requiring advanced radiotherapy techniques. 

Dr Woolf is an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Manchester with an internationally recognised research profile in lung cancer radiotherapy. He leads and collaborates on international research, including a multi-million-pound NIHR-funded programme, and has authored more than 40 peer-reviewed publications alongside over 70 national and international presentations. He also contributes to the training of Clinical Oncologists through the Royal College of Radiologists.