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YEAR BOOK |
Trinity Centre, Adelaide and Meath Hospital, Dublin, including the National Children's Hospital, Tallaght, Dublin 24 & Trinity College Dublin�
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Cancer Prevention Institute
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Cancer accounts for 40�50% of all deaths in people over 50 years of age in Europe � figures that are similar to those attributed to cardiovascular disease. Ireland has the second and third highest crude death rate for women and men respectively from cancer in Europe, at 178.2 and 267.3 per 100,000. Recent figures released by the National Cancer Registry show that cancer accounts for just under a quarter of all deaths in Ireland � see Table. Despite the fact that many cancers can now be detected at an earlier stage, with resultant survival implications, only 5% of the Irish population undergo screening/surveillance examinations for cancer each year. This is the lowest rate in Europe. These stark statistics produced by the European Commission are incentive alone for the national development and promotion of additional cancer prevention programmes and research projects in Ireland.
In 2003, Trinity College, the Adelaide and Meath Hospital, Dublin, incorporating the National Children's Hospital (AMNCH) and the Haughton Institute gave their support and backing for the development of a Cancer Prevention Institute. The Institute, based at the AMNCH facility, is a unique initiative in Ireland brought about by the foresight and vision of its Director, Professor Colm O'Morain, Academic Head of the Department of Clinical Medicine at AMNCH. The partners of the Institute aim to provide a novel prevention facility, which will in time house both patient services, and basic science and clinical research laboratories. The main objectives of the Institute are to promote public awareness of screening and surveillance programmes, improve patient education, develop new clinical (screening and interventional) prevention programmes dealing with all major malignancies, and to encourage and facilitate research in this area. The Institute also acts as a vehicle to facilitate communication and co-operation with similar facilities around the world, such as the National Cancer Institute in America, and with other Institutes with a focus on disease prevention, such as the Cardiovascular Institute.
To date, basic science research projects have been funded and started on gastric and colon cancer. A clinical colon cancer prevention programme has also been initiated at AMNCH and we hope that this will provide the basis for a South Western Area Health Board National Pilot Colon Cancer Screening Programme. Additional funding has been sought for a major screening programme for prostate cancer with our partners.
A number of key appointments have been made, including a Cancer Prevention Clinical Nurse Specialist at AMNCH, which will enable expansion of current, and the development of new, prevention programmes. During Summer 2004, work will begin on the building of Phase 2, Education and Research Centre, which will accommodate specialised research facilities for the Cancer Prevention Institute.
Contact: Dr Deirdre McNamara, Department of Clinical Medicine, Trinity Centre, Adelaide and Meath Hospital, Dublin, including the National Children's Hospital, Tallaght, Dublin 24 and Trinity College Dublin;
Tel: 01-6083843; Fax: 01-6082988; E-mail: [email protected]