Pioneering Cancer Centre

WORLD-CLASS EXPERTS

CLOSE TO YOU LEADING THE FIGHT AGAINST CANCER

PIONEERING CANCER CENTRE

“Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre promotes high-quality cancer care, research and education for all involved with patients with cancer.”

Professor Patrick Morris, Medical Director

BEAUMONT RCSI CANCER CENTRE Pioneering Cancer Care in Ireland

Established in 2019, Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre incorporates Beaumont Hospital, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences and St Luke’s Radiation Oncology Network. In 2022, the Cancer Centre was accredited by the Organisation of European Cancer Institutes (OECI), Europe’s accreditation body for standards in cancer research, education and clinical care. Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre aims to reduce the cancer burden by providing optimal care underpinned by a multidisciplinary approach. Evidence-based treatment pathways incorporate primary, secondary and tertiary care backed by clinical research and delivered by a range of specialist teams. The Cancer Centre integrates with European Reference Networks to manage rare cancers and is central to national plans for the centralisation of low-volume cancers. Future plans include capital development to support the predicted increase in cancer patient numbers. The Cancer Centre maximises patient involvement in the delivery of cancer care, undertakes patient-partnered research, from discovery to clinical care, and is dedicated to strengthening links between clinical and research teams for all cancers.

BEAUMONT HOSPITAL, a large teaching hospital located in North Dublin, is one of nine designated cancer centres in Ireland under the auspices of the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP). Beaumont Hospital is the principal teaching hospital of RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences and part of the RCSI Hospital Group.

RCSI UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND HEALTH SCIENCES is a world-leading university with the mission to ‘educate, nurture and discover for the benefit of human health’. Ranked in the world top 50 for its contributions to UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 ‘Good Health and Wellbeing’, it is exclusively focused on education and research to drive improvements in human health worldwide.

ST LUKE’S RADIATION ONCOLOGY NETWORK (SLRON) provides the largest radiation oncology service in Ireland across three centres in St Luke’s Hospital, Rathgar, and on the campuses of St James’s Hospital and Beaumont Hospital. SLRON is the first centre in Ireland to achieve Novalis certification for its stereotactic treatment, becoming the 26th centre in the world to date to receive this best-practice accreditation.

Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre | Beaumont Hospital Campus | Beaumont Road, Dublin 9 | Tel: + 353 1 809 3000

Website: www.beaumontrcsicancercentre.ie

Email: cancerdirectorate@beaumont.ie

Pioneering Cancer Centre is produced by Gloss Publications Ltd.

Copyright Gloss Publications.

CONTENTS

Leading the Fight against Cancer

Combining first-class patient care with groundbreaking research

Mission: Possible Patient-partnered collaboration is at the heart of what we do

Pioneering Cancer Centre

Leading a national initiative in the EU

Cancer Care: A Team Event

A coordinated response from healthcare professionals in all disciplines

What Matters to Patients

Positive outcomes, rehabilitation and kind care

World-Class Experts Close to You

Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre’s expertise is world class

How Discovery Drives Clinical Progress

Translating research into practice

New Ways to Prevent, Control and Cure Disease

Screening, clinical trials, novel approaches

Doctors and Scientists Together

We work together so patients get access to cutting-edge treatments as soon as they are available

Photographs by Kip Carroll, Ray Lohan, Patrick Bolger

Leading the Fight againstCancer

Cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment are major challenges for our society. Cancer is the leading cause of death in Ireland (CSO, 2020) and the second leading cause of death in Europe, with an expected increase of about 25% by 2035. In recent years, there has been an unprecedented coordination effort among the European cancer community to build a comprehensive cancer infrastructure. A key initiative of this orchestrated movement has been the establishment of the OECI (Organisation of European Cancer Institutes), the largest network of cancer centres across Europe. The OECI is Europe’s body for standards in cancer research, education and clinical care.

In Ireland, Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre was awarded accreditation by the OECI in April 2022.

The unique, longstanding relationship between leading teaching hospital, Beaumont Hospital, and RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ireland’s only university dedicated to the health sciences, meant a framework already existed for the two institutions to collaborate with St Luke’s Radiation Oncology Network (SLRON) to form Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre.

The establishment of the Cancer Centre formalises the alliance and commitment to cancer care that has long existed between the three partners, combining their expertise to create a centre of excellence with the scale and breadth to drive improvements nationally and through its international networks.

“The OECI accreditation is a significant milestone for the Centre and represents our commitment to delivering the highest standards of patient care informed by innovative research,” says Professor Cathal Kelly, Vice Chancellor, RCSI. “Our ambition is to become a Comprehensive Cancer Centre.”

B eaumont RCSI Cancer Centre is aligned with the strategic priorities of the National Cancer Strategy (2017–2026) and works closely with National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) to shape the delivery of cancer care in Ireland.

The Cancer Centre promotes high-quality cancer care, research and education for all involved with patients with cancer. “Pioneering world-class cancer care means patient-partnered care,” says Patrick Clerkin, Interim Chief Executive, Beaumont Hospital. “Everything we do is driven by the needs of patients – they are the most important stakeholders in the Cancer Centre.”

B eaumont RCSI Cancer Centre specialises in the treatment of a wide range of cancers including breast, colorectal, lung, endocrine, head and neck, brain, urological, skin, blood and upper gastrointestinal cancer. The Centre prides itself on its collegiate multidisciplinary teams, which work together to provide cancer diagnosis and treatment. These teams form the backbone of efforts to drive education and research.

“We recognise that to fight cancer we need to take a collaborative approach and drive cooperation between specialists in research and clinical spheres,” says Professor Kelly. “The Centre provides an extensive range of high-quality diagnostics and care tailored to the individual patient’s needs, and we strive to improve the professional and organisational quality of care and foster a culture of learning. We will inspire and empower the health workforce of tomorrow.”

As EU member states are called on to transform cancer culture and to optimise diagnostics and treatment, the Cancer Centre is focused on expanding research and integrating innovation with cancer care. “We have the combined multidisciplinary experience necessary to provide comprehensive patient-partnered cancer care,” says Patrick Clerkin. ■

Professor Cathal Kelly, Vice Chancellor, RCSI, and Patrick Clerkin, Interim Chief Executive, Beaumont Hospital

Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre is a key national initiative

“We recognise that to fight cancer we need to take a collaborative approach.”

Professor Cathal Kelly, Vice Chancellor, RCSI

Mission: Possible

An intelligent cancer ecosystem with patient-partnered care is informed by cutting-edge research

What is pioneering cancer care? In the modern context it is when patients receive comprehensive cancer care that is informed by cutting-edge research and high-quality education and training.

Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre is pioneering cancer care in Ireland. The Cancer Centre represents a historic collaboration between clinical care and scientific discovery, with patients benefiting from the latest treatments, therapeutics and clinical trials. “As leading hospital experts and university researchers, we work together as one team,” says Professor Leonie Young, Scientific Director.

“Our mission is to improve the lives and outcomes of patients with cancer, through groundbreaking research that develops and conducts high-quality clinical trials and grows research capacity through collaboration with patients,” says Professor Patrick Morris, Medical Director.

Increasing access to clinical trials is important because clinical trials are a critical part of evidence-based medicine, helping to test out how new medical treatments will work. Clinical trials often involve large numbers of patients to ensure the new intervention is safe and effective. “The primary aim for the Cancer Centre is to provide evidence-based care that is effective, safe, of high quality and patient partnered,” says Professor Morris. “We seek to deliver novel therapies through clinical trials, guided by preclinical and translational science.”

At Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre, the ambition is to involve 10% of patients in clinical trials.

Patients recognise the benefits: “Patients may get access to a new treatment before it is available to

anyone else; they play a more active role in their healthcare and they help others by contributing to knowledge about new treatments or procedures,” says Professor Morris.

Advances in basic and translational science have resulted in great discovery, but the integration of this innovation into cancer care presents organisational and financial challenges. At the Cancer Centre, the rapid transfer from discovery to clinical care is made possible by the unique relationship between the academic and hospital partners.

“The Centre is focused on three pillars – cancer care, research and education,” says Professor Young. “The academic leadership and support shown by Professor Laura Viani, RCSI President, and her colleagues is key to our continued ambition to deliver the highest international standards in cancer research that will bring maximum benefit to cancer patients and ensure that Ireland is at the forefront of excellent patient care now and in the future.”

World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics reveal that cancer is the second most reported cause of death and morbidity in Europe. In Ireland, there are approximately 43,000 cases of cancer diagnosed each year and more than 3,500 of these patients are newly treated at the Cancer Centre. Professor Young says: “The only way to tackle this disease is through research and collaboration. We bring together Ireland’s cancer experts to improve patient care into the future, not only in Ireland but worldwide.” ■

Professor Patrick Morris, Medical Director, Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre and Professor Leonie Young, Scientific Director, Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre and Head of RCSI Endocrine Oncology Research Group

Professor Laura Viani, President, RCSI

Professor Clare Faul, St Luke’s Radiation Oncology Network

PioneeringCancer Centre

The fight against cancer is not an isolated endeavour. It has long been recognised that being part of a wide and coordinated action against cancer – outside of our own communities – is needed to provide better support to patients.

The OECI, a non-profit organisation created in 1979 to promote greater cooperation among European cancer centres, is the largest network of cancer centres across Europe and beyond. It was set up to accelerate the application of multidisciplinary personalised care approaches to reduce mortality and to guarantee equitable access to care for all patients with cancer.

Awarding of OECI accreditation to Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre was pivotal in the development of the Cancer Centre, and its sustained growth and success.

Nowadays, words such as cooperation, collaboration and synergies are commonly used in EU initiatives against cancer, but not all countries are in Ireland’s position. Claire Noonan, Accreditation Lead, Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre, explains: “Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre is performance driven. Our journey to achieving the qualitative and quantitative standards required for OECI accreditation began with examining

every aspect of the care we deliver. We have designed and implemented new processes to systematically measure the journey for all cancer patients.”

Noonan says that the best outcomes for cancer patients are achieved in cancer centres such as Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre, where specialised evidencebased cancer care is combined with scientific and technological advances.

“The uniqueness of the OECI approach is the focus on comprehensive care, from the integration of research and clinical care to the dissemination of education. The approach is focused on the patient and the patient journey, so patient leadership and partnership is valued at every level, from board level to local committees and patient working groups, across every discipline.”

Noonan’s role is to achieve the highest standard of patient-focused care, ensuring compliance with OECI accreditation requirements and liaising with academic partner RCSI. She works collaboratively across all services and with all stakeholders.

“We have implemented systems that give us a bird’s-eye view of the pathway of every single cancer patient, from the point of referral through to starting treatment. These metrics, in combination with National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) key performance indicators, allow us to support the audit and evaluation of cancer care processes across the hospital and to pinpoint areas that require improvement to facilitate timely access.” She emphasises the role of patientdriven initiatives: “We prioritise the capture of patient perspectives in order to improve patient care. For patients with suspected cancer, we work hard to maintain highperforming rapid access services,” says Noonan.

Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre collaborates with leading cancer centres in Europe to continuously improve and develop in order to respond to the needs of patients, offering high-quality care in an environment in which research and education flourish. “Accreditation as an OECI Cancer Centre has validated the work we do, and we are inspired not only to maintain our high standards, but to develop further to become a Comprehensive Cancer Centre,” says Noonan. ■

e European cancer community is coordinating e orts to beat cancer. e OECI–accredited Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre is leading Ireland’s role in the network

Claire Noonan, OECI Cancer Accreditation Lead, Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre

“Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre is performance driven.”

Claire

Noonan, OECI Cancer Accreditation Lead, Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre

Cancer Care: A Team Event

High-quality cancer care at Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre involves great teamwork,

expertise used in the patient’s diagnosis and treatment

With more than 6,000 staff across the campus, Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre is quite a village. Every member of staff plays a part in the delivery of cancer care, from those behind the scenes to those on the frontline.

“We all have a role to play when caring for patients, even if it’s just getting them a cup of tea when they are having their chemotherapy or greeting them by name and with a smile –that can be the most important thing for them on that day,” says ward catering staff member, Bernard.

Multidisciplinary care is well recognised as the cornerstone of modern cancer management. A multidisciplinary team is a group of health professionals with expertise in a specific cancer who come together, discuss and manage a patient’s care. They create an individualised plan for that patient.

The members of a multidisciplinary team can vary, depending on the type of cancer. Most teams include a surgeon, radiologist, pathologist, medical oncologist, radiation oncologist and clinical nurse specialist. Teams may also involve palliative care specialists, psychologists, pharmacists, radiation therapists and a wide range of health and social care professionals such as dietitians, physiotherapists and speech and language therapists.

Experts from every discipline on the team have input into the patient pathway and cancer clinicians collaborate on a daily basis. Cancer diagnostic and treatment options are developing rapidly, which is why it is essential to have experts in every field coming together in a well-coordinated effort to share the best options with patients.

Early detection and timely intervention, along with targeted treatments for advanced disease, mean that patients are living longer with cancer. At Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre, quality of life is the priority: “We emphasise quality of life from the point of diagnosis,” says Claire Bolton, Advanced Nurse Practitioner. “It is important that survivorship starts at diagnosis.”

Continuity of care is also part of teamwork. “Teaching hospitals by their nature experience turnover of healthcare professionals as they rotate to develop their expertise. Team members, such as Clinical Nurse Specialists, Advanced Nurse Practitioners and Physician Associates, support continuity of care along what can be very complex patient pathways,” says Bolton. ■

Educating the Next Generation of Cancer Professionals

The Centre’s Education Lead, Dr Ann Hopkins, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Surgery, RCSI, highlights the breadth and depth of cancer-related educational activities within the Centre At the forefront of educating a new generation of cancer care experts, the Centre provides education from undergraduate level to advanced graduate degrees, and from vocational support to leadership in professional training pathways.

“We provide advanced cancer clinical education via 15 medical/surgical specialist registrar programmes and 12 clinical nurse specialist programmes, complemented by training within allied healthcare professions including psychology, physiotherapy, pharmacy and nutrition/dietetics,” says Dr Hopkins. Patient-centred cancer research continues to flourish with an innovative programme which builds clinicians’ research expertise – RCSI’s Strategic Academic Recruitment (StAR) Doctor of Medicine (MD) programme, and the Centre is actively developing strategic national and international partnerships to facilitate expansion of in-person and online cancer education offerings. “By reaching a greater cohort of stakeholders, including patients and the public, the Centre anticipates an exciting period of growth so that the educational objectives of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan are meaningfully addressed for the benefit of all,” says Dr Hopkins.

with everyone’s

Claire Bolton, Lung Cancer Advanced Nurse Practitioner, and Niamh Barry, Oncology Physiotherapist

What Matters to Patients

Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre combines close cooperation between all professions involved in cancer care, with patient partnership at every step of the way

There has been a revolution in patient involvement in healthcare in the last decade. At Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre, the focus on patient-partnered care encourages more autonomous decision-making by patients and involves collaborative working at all levels. Patient partnership is where patients identify as real partners in the care provided to other patients. Patient Partners are those individuals who have experienced cancer care as a patient, family member or caregiver. Patient Partnership is layered throughout the Cancer Centre and Patient Partners on the Cancer Centre board ensure there is collaboration at the highest level of governance.

The Cancer Patient Partnership Working Group (CPPWG) is the forum for Patient Partners and healthcare staff to work together on projects related to education, clinical practice and research that can bring about improvement in cancer care. The CPPWG also includes representatives from the Irish Cancer Society. “It’s the ultimate coproduction,” says Caitriona Higgins, Patient Partnership Lead. With more than 30 years in healthcare working as a nurse and Clinical Nurse Manager, Catriona knows the value of the patient’s role in determining the design of cancer services and offers examples of Patient Partnership in action. “Whether we are seeking to develop patient experience surveys or to determine how best to deliver a

specific cancer education programme, the input from patients means we are better equipped to provide the resources that patients really want.”

Speaking about her experience as a Patient Partner and member of the CPPWG, Nicola Caul Brennan says: “I am delighted to be a patient representing others on this forum, to help where I can to make cancer services at the Cancer Centre exceptional from a patient perspective.”

One of the most important topics to patients is communication. As Frank O’Brien, Cancer Centre board member and patient, says: “I think compassionate communication is so important. When a family member gets a cancer diagnosis, it’s like a bomb going off in their life and their family’s life. How the diagnosis is communicated can set the tone for how a patient deals with the physical and psychological impact of their diagnosis.” Caitriona concurs: “We know how much patients value the humanity and friendliness within the Cancer Centre. They appreciate how healthcare staff will introduce themselves by their first name, and will take time to discuss medical or nonmedical issues.” Reflecting on her experience as a patient, Cancer Centre board member Claire Buckley adds that “establishing even a small personal connection with your treating medics can make the world of difference to a patient and that is what Beaumont staff do so well.”

At Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre, patients want timely, trustworthy resources, with the right level of detail, according to Caitriona. “We are always seeking to improve the quality and depth of information we provide, but it’s a very individual thing. Patient Partners can tell us the appropriate level of detail patients want about their treatment. We are working with the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP), Clinical Nurse Specialists and Advanced Nurse Practitioners on Cancer

Caitriona Higgins, Patient Partnership Lead, B eaumont RCSI Cancer Centre

Cancer Patient Partnership Working Group at Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre

Treatment Summaries that explain the treatments patients have received and the medications they are on.”

Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre also conducts real-time walkthroughs of the services with Patient Partners, to truly understand the patient experience. “We get insights as to how easy it is for patients to find their way to their consultation or treatment: Is the signposting as clear as it can be? How do we minimise the stress to patients? How can we shorten the time patients spend in the unit?” explains Catriona.

The journey of a patient with cancer is anything but linear and at Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre, access to information about support services at all points of the patient journey is top of the agenda. According to Patient Partner, Leah Harrington, “The timing of information about support services is important and it shouldn’t just be at the end or after treatment but should be mentioned earlier than that so you have something to aim towards.” Nicola Caul Brennan points out that often patients struggle to resume some semblance of normal life after primary treatment has ended: “While going through treatment you have a team of people caring for you. After my treatment ended, at the time I felt there was no real recovery plan for me.”

The Cancer Centre works closely with a number of charity partners including the Irish Cancer Society to form support networks for patients with cancer through the Daffodil Centre at Beaumont Hospital, managed by cancer nurse Phil Harford, as well as via survivorship programmes like Life after Cancer – Enhancing Survivorship (LACES). ■

A PATIENT PARTNERSHIP PROJECT

Soul Snacks is a collaboration between Psycho-Oncology team members Dr Vicky Cooper Lunt and Dr Jennifer Fennell and design collective www.outoutstudio.com, one of whose team received a cancer diagnosis and treatment in the Cancer Centre. The project aims to share information, ideas and guidance with those who have completed, or are undergoing, cancer treatment in an accessible way. The “Snacks” are research informed but also include the wisdom of the lived experience. These bite-sized wellbeing ideas are an A-Z of Affirmations, Breath work, Complementary therapies, etc.

At Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre, there is active patient partnership at corporate level but also at individual service level. Speaking about the Colorectal Cancer service, Professor Deborah McNamara says: “Patients are at the centre of everything we do and our strong multidisciplinary team approach ensures patients can access the experts they need ” A range of colorectal surgery options are provided at the Cancer Centre, from minimally invasive organpreserving surgery to more extensive approaches requiring input from several specialist surgeons. There are a number of patient-partnered initiatives at the Cancer Centre “Our colorectal nurse specialists partnered with patients to develop the Colorectal Cancer Patient Passport, which is the cornerstone of each patient’s journey. This initiative has recently been rolled out across other cancer centres nationally. We appointed Ireland ’s first Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Specialist Nurse in 2011 and have a wellestablished, meticulously planned pathway that helps patients prepare physically and psychologically for surgery.” According to Professor McNamara, research and quality work within the service is focused on making healthcare safer for patients. “Our researchers study ways to reduce the impact of surgery on patients by reducing the risk of infection, promoting better healing and protecting quality of life.”

Professor Deborah McNamara

PATIENT PARTNERS: Vanessa Fay, Nicola Caul Brennan and Claire Buckley

Affirmations Breath work Complementary therapies

Professor Deborah McNamara, Consultant General and Colorectal Surgeon, National Clinical Programme in Surgery and Vice President, RCSI

World-Class Experts Close to You

Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre, accredited by the OECI, champions equal access to high-quality clinical care

Mr William B. Robb

Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre is a designated centre for a number of cancers including upper gastrointestinal cancer, which commonly includes gastric and oesophageal cancer.

In late 2015, Mr William B. Robb MD FRCSI, Consultant in General and Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery, returned to Beaumont Hospital after working in Lille, France, at the leading oesophageal cancer unit in Europe. His focus was on the introduction of more minimally invasive techniques, firstly the use of keyhole techniques to replace open surgery, and more recently robotic surgery.

In Ireland, about 500 patients are diagnosed with oesophageal cancer every year but numbers are on the rise. A number of these patients will have disease confined to the oesophagus and be candidates for surgery to remove their tumour. The operation, called an oesophagectomy, requires major surgery. “This is maximally invasive surgery with significant morbidity and higher surgical risk of complications. Patient recovery from this very invasive form of surgery is slow and painful, with a slower return to baseline quality of life,” says Mr Robb.

The advent of minimally invasive surgery allowed for an oesophagectomy to be performed with minimally invasive (keyhole) surgery. This meant that the surgeon could perform a keyhole abdominal operation and keyhole chest operation. While a vast improvement, it was a technically challenging operation to learn and master. At Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre, since 2015, Mr Robb has been the sole surgeon in Dublin to provide surgery for oesophageal cancer by this totally minimally invasive technique, resulting in a significant improvement in patient outcomes. The Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery Unit at Beaumont RCSI

Cancer Centre also developed a very progressive Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) programme with a dedicated ERAS specialist nurse, Claire Coleman, leading its delivery. The advent of less invasive surgery and the focus on enhancing patient recovery has seen patients leave hospital often only six or seven days after surgery, able to return to their normal activities much sooner than after traditional open surgery.

Keen to explore the potential of robotic surgery for oesophagectomy, Mr Robb and his team travelled to Holland in 2018 to be trained in the use of a da Vinci robot. Now, at the Cancer Centre, Robotic-assisted Minimally Invasive Oesophagectomy (RAMIE) is a viable alternative to open and keyhole surgery. RAMIE involves performing the procedure through finger-breadth incisions, as in keyhole surgery, but with an additional major advantage – the amazing dexterity of the instruments at the surgeon’s disposal. The surgeon operates from a console while instructing the Physician Associate to swap in and out instruments as required. RAMIE has been shown to have a number of benefits in terms of cancer outcomes such as an increased number of lymph nodes being removed at the time of operation and more clear surgical margins.

“This reduces the risk of cancer recurrence and improves long-term outcomes for patients,” says Mr Robb. Patients require less pain medication postoperatively and are also able to return to normal activities more quickly. RAMIE has also been shown to result in fewer complications after surgery, compared to those after open surgery. Another benefit of this robotic minimally invasive approach is that it can be performed on older patients and patients with illnesses who may not be good candidates for open surgery.

Mr William B. Robb, Consultant in General and Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery, Beaumont Hospital, and Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer, RCSI

Professor Jarushka Naidoo

Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre is a recognised leader in the field of lung cancer. Lung cancer is a serious diagnosis, accounting for more cancer-related deaths than breast, colon and prostate cancer combined, in Ireland and worldwide. Despite this, there is renewed hope for patients with lung cancer. Over 30 new treatments available for this disease in the last 10 years have resulted in significant improvements for patients. These new treatments largely fall into two categories – treatments that target the genes that cause cancer, called ‘targeted therapy’ and treatments that use the body’s immune system to fight cancer – called ‘immunotherapy.’

In 2020, Professor Jarushka Naidoo returned to Ireland after nearly a decade in the US at two leading institutions, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre (MSKCC) and Johns Hopkins University. At MSKCC, she trained in early phase clinical trials in immunotherapy, and as a lung cancer specialist. As an Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins, Professor Naidoo developed and led a portfolio of clinical trials of immunotherapy for lung cancer. Since her return to Ireland, Professor Naidoo has served as the Lung Cancer Chair of Cancer Trials Ireland, and founded the Irish national lung cancer research group, the Irish Lung Cancer Alliance. Through these developments, the number of clinical trials available to patients with lung cancer at Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre, has increased by over 300%, including novel trials which Professor Naidoo and her team developed themselves. “It is essential that we bring new treatments to patients, and one of the ways to do this is through clinical trials.”

One of these trials, the ADEPPT trial, is a groundbreaking, first ever investigator-initiated trial for lung cancer in Ireland, designed and led by Professor Naidoo through a European lung cancer clinical trial group, due to open this summer at

the Cancer Centre. In this trial, patients will gain access to a new targeted medicine for lung cancers that have a specific ‘mutation’ that is common in Irish patients. “My goal is to write trials for the patients we see, so that any discoveries that are made are brought to patients who may benefit the most,” says Professor Naidoo.

Another aspect that is important to patients receiving cancer treatment is the side-effects of treatment. We are all familiar with the sickness and hair loss that can happen with traditional chemotherapy, however, the side-effects of immunotherapy are less well-known. Professor Naidoo’s particular area of expertise is to improve the lives of patients treated with immunotherapy, by improving treatments of its side-effects. She explains: “In a small group of patients, immunotherapy may lead to long-term benefit. It does not work for everyone, but for some it may keep their cancer controlled for years. Occasionally, immunotherapy may cause rare but serious side-effects. These side-effects are very different to the side-effects we see from chemotherapy, and are due to the way immunotherapy works in the body.”

In the US, Professor Naidoo became an established leader in the field of immunotherapy side-effects, developing international guidelines, and leading the first ever Johns Hopkins multidisciplinary team for immunotherapy toxicity. Professor Naidoo has brought this experience back home to Ireland and developed an Irish Immune-related Toxicity (IR-TOX) team based at the Centre. The IR-TOX team seeks to improve understanding of why some patients experience these side-effects, and to streamline their diagnosis and management through access to national and international experts. With immunotherapy now being used in more than 10 different cancer types, the benefit of a team approach for these side-effects is likely to support many patients receiving immunotherapy across the country.

Keen to ensure progress for patients in these areas, Professor Naidoo continues to work with both US and European leaders to bring in new tests and treatment options.

New initiatives led by the Cancer Centre’s lung cancer group will include the EU4Health-funded SOLACE project, aimed at exploring early detection of lung cancer, and an initiative to expand the use of liquid biopsies for the diagnosis of the genomic features of lung cancer through a simple blood test. “Our goal is to push the boundaries so that our patients have access to the very best in lung cancer care, from early detection, to diagnosis, to new treatments, extending all the way to survivorship. This will only be achieved by thinking big, being bold, and partnering with the best,” says Professor Naidoo. Based on these developments and others, Professor Naidoo was named the Irish Cancer Society’s Clinician Research Leader Awardee 2021.

Professor Jarushka Naidoo, Consultant in Medical Oncology, Beaumont Hospital, and Professor of Medical Oncology, RCSI

Mr Stephen MacNally

Brain and spinal tumours, also referred to as central nervous system (CNS) tumours, are formed by abnormal uncontrolled growth of cells. Although tumours can be classified as being benign or malignant, brain and spinal tumours are usually classified according to grade, location, cell type and molecular analysis. There are many different types of CNS tumours and not all are cancerous (malignant). CNS tumours can be primary or secondary (metastatic). Primary tumours originate from the tissues of the brain or spine or the immediate surroundings. Secondary tumours spread to the brain or spine from a cancer elsewhere in the body. There are over 600 primary CNS tumour operations at Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre each year.

Unlike tumours of other parts of the body, the precise cause of primary CNS tumours is not fully understood with genetics playing a key role, according to neurosurgeon Mr Stephen MacNally. Some CNS tumours are known to be associated with certain rare inherited syndromes. The incidence of CNS tumours is similar worldwide, irrespective of race, economic status or demographics.

Mr MacNally has been the National Lead for brain tumours since 2011 and heads up the multidisciplinary team approach to treating brain tumours based on world gold standard care. At Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre, the neuro-oncology programme involves multidisciplinary teams consisting of neurosurgeons, neuropathologists, neuroradiologists, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, neurologists, clinical nurse specialists, speech and language therapists and many other disciplines. “In fact, up to 10 to 12 sub-specialties can be involved in complex cases,” says Mr MacNally.

“In the last four decades, patient outcomes have improved as surgery involving specialist neurosurgeons, neuroanaesthesiologists and neurophysiologists has evolved to be far safer, allowing more aggressive surgical resections for these patients. These surgical techniques, combined with individualised postoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy, lead to better survival rates along with a better quality of life.”

Brain tumours are a substantial cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality worldwide. “A significant research

“The words brave, survivor and fantastic outlook on life come to mind as soon as you meet Sophie,” says NeuroOncology Department Clinical Nurse Manager Eloise Cowie. She is referring to Sophie Lordan, a patient with cancer at Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre. Sophie has undergone cancer surveillance, surgeries and treatment for recurrence and her cancer has progressed from a Grade 2 to a Grade 3 tumour. She has had to make many tough decisions while dealing with an illness which she herself says will kill her eventually. Although her original prognosis was two years, Sophie is now five years out from treatment. Mum to two beautiful children, Sophie says that the personal and compassionate way in which she is cared for by the multidisciplinary team at the Centre is very important. Eloise explains how Sophie and patients like her have provided invaluable insights into how clinical teams can make life a little easier during what is a very tough time in a patient’s life. “Sophie explained that one of the things she struggled with sometimes was remembering the information given to her. We chatted about this and she suggested that our Cancer Patient Partnership Working Group might encourage patients to draft a “list of questions you might like to ask” that patients could bring to their appointment. We have done this, and it really helps patients to focus and get the information they need,” says Eloise.

focus is on glioblastoma (GBM) which is the most frequent, aggressive and lethal of all brain tumours, and the most common primary brain cancer,” says Mr MacNally. It is also the number one cause of death in cancer patients under 40 years of age. At the Cancer Centre, the GLIOTRAIN consortium aims to identify novel therapeutic strategies for GBM.

Research on secondary brain tumours is another key focus area. Brain metastases represent one of the most difficult aspects of cancer care. “We are treating increased numbers of brain metastases in recent years. This is because of the dramatic improvement in the local control of primary cancers such as lung cancer, breast cancer, melanoma and colorectal cancer over the last two decades,” says Mr MacNally.

As the National Lead for brain tumours, Mr MacNally believes OECI accreditation for Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre will underpin the work already underway and will help resource more efficient pathways for clinical research, which will ultimately benefit patients.

Sophie Lordan and Eloise Cowie

Mr Stephen MacNally, Consultant in Neurosurgery, Beaumont Hospital

Professor James Paul O’Neill

Professor James Paul O’Neill was appointed as Professor of Otolaryngology Head and Neck surgery at RCSI in 2014. He specialises in cancers of the head, neck and skull base and has built a highly motivated multidisciplinary team at Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre. “The patient is our absolute priority and it was my main aspiration that cancer treatment here would match the exceptional standards of care I witnessed in America when I worked in Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center [MSKCC] in New York,” says Professor O’Neill.

Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre is all about high complexity and has established itself as a tertiary and quaternary referral centre for complex oncology. Having allied specialties such as neurosurgery, plastic surgery, facial plastic surgery and on-site radiation oncology means it has the capacity to cover all aspects of head, neck and skull base cancer care. The otolaryngology department also has superb Physician Associates, nursing support staff, and allied colleagues in speech and language and nutrition.

MOLECULAR DIAGNOSTICS

“It’s important to me that we don’t just follow, we lead. I’m delighted and very honoured to be speaking at one of the plenary sessions of the American Head & Neck Society meeting in July on thyroid cancer, and at the International Federation of Head and Neck Oncologic Societies on skin cancer and surgical techniques we use in thyroid cancer surgery. It is essential, as a small country, that we produce research which offers us a seat on the global oncology stage. Oncology is ever changing and we strictly adhere to ‘evidenced-based care’. We place great emphasis on cancer research and we help shape and influence cancer opinion,” says Professor O’Neill.

At Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre there are multiple avenues of cancer research and investigation. “Our interests include skin cancer in immunosuppressed solid organ transplant patients, benign and malignant skull base diseases and thyroid cancer. We invest heavily in education and surgical training and run instructional surgical courses for Irish trainees on skull base, facial plastics, head and neck and lateral skull surgery. Our teaching faculty always includes international colleagues from some of the best hospitals and universities in the world including Harvard, MSKCC and Yale. We must ensure surgical technical standards are world class for Irish patients and the next generation of surgeons receive the best training. Our international connections in RCSI and a track record for professionalism have allowed many of our very best surgeons-in-training compete for and achieve international fellowship positions,” says Professor O’Neill.

“Motivation is never an issue. Our patients are a constant source of inspiration to us. They deserve the best and we intend to continue our drive to offer world-class contemporary cancer care.” ■

The Molecular Pathology Laboratory at Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre is a state-of-the-art multidisciplinary facility that provides a wide range of services to oncologists and patients. Clinical Lead, Professor Brendan Doyle, and Chief Medical Scientist, Teresa Loftus, lead a team of outstanding scientists and doctors who utilise cutting-edge technology to inform the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment decisions for patients. “Molecular Pathology enables personalised cancer care by analysing the genomic make-up of tumours. This allows us to tailor treatment specifically to each patient’s tumour,” says Professor Doyle. Analysis of a wide variety of cancer types including lung, skin, breast, colon, ovarian and blood cancers is carried out. “We are also the national centre for brain tumours, providing molecular analysis which aids in the diagnosis and treatment of these complex tumours,” says Dr Loftus. The Laboratory plays a key role in clinical trials, many of which are now based on the presence of specific ‘biomarkers’ within a tumour. “We translate cancer research outcomes into clinically actionable treatments, helping to bring the benefits of research directly to patients,” says Professor Doyle.

Teresa Loftus, Chief Medical Scientist, Molecular Diagnostics, and Professor Brendan Doyle, Clinical Lead, Molecular Diagnostics, and Associate Professor, Molecular Pathology, RCSI

Professor James Paul O’Neill, Professor of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beaumont Hospital and RCSI

How Discovery Drives Clinical Progress

Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre is dedicated to strengthening links between clinical and research teams and training future clinicians

Clinical t rials are research studies involving people that help to discover new ways of diagnosing, treating and preventing disease. Cancer clinical trials aim to discover better ways of detecting and diagnosing cancer, treating cancer, preventing cancer and cancer recurrence, and improving quality of life for people with cancer.

Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre is focused on conducting high-quality clinical research across the Cancer Centre with the aim of understanding more about the scientific changes of cancer and new therapies that can be delivered to improve quality of life and cancer survival. Significant funding for clinical research has been awarded to the Centre from both international and national funding bodies, including the EU and Health Research Board, over the past 18 months.

Immunotherapy

Researchers at Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre are involved in research for many different types of cancer and for patients with different stages of the disease. For patients

with early stage (curable) cancer, recent trials have focused on novel approaches such as immunotherapy, which aims to harness the normal immune system to fight cancer cells. Immunotherapy is often much easier for patients than older chemotherapy drugs. Hence, this research has focused on increasing long-term survival and cure by maximising new treatments and minimising chemotherapy. For patients who benefit from immunotherapy, but develop toxicities, Professor Jarushka Naidoo is leading research into novel immune side-effects, to identify those at risk and develop new treatment algorithms.

Individualised Treatment

The partnership between clinicians and scientists is central to our understanding of how cancers develop, grow and spread. This knowledge is being used to try and identify patients with very low-risk cancer, who can safely avoid older, more toxic, chemotherapy. This research has led to more individualised, personalised treatment approaches. Many patients now receive systemic anti-cancer therapy

Keith Egan, Programme Manager, Cancer Clinical Trials & Research Unit, Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre and Nurse Lorna Mulvihill

(chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy) before surgery. Following the operation, pathologists conduct a rigorous review of the tissue removed by surgeons, to determine how well cancers have responded to treatment. This information is now routinely used to determine how much treatment to give patients after surgery.

Radiotherapy

RCSI Professors Orla McArdle and Colm Power have been running a trial of novel radiotherapy in patients undergoing breast surgery. This approach has focused on low-risk cancers and delivering radiotherapy during surgery, with the aim of offering patients a more convenient, less toxic therapy with a quicker recovery. This has required a close working relationship between members of the multidisciplinary team and speaks to the great collaborative strength of the group.

Rare Cancers

Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre is harnessing the capacity of the cancer genomics laboratory to attract novel clinical trials for rare cancers. The ability to perform novel tests on tumours has allowed the team to conduct clinical trials for rare cancers and rare subtypes of common cancers. T his expertise is now being used to develop investigatorinitiated trials, where scientific discoveries are translated into the clinic. Patient samples from these trials are then used to further scientific discoveries back in the laboratory. RCSI Professors Siobhá n Glavey, Bryan Hennessy and Jarushka Naidoo are all involved in these types of research across an array of different cancers.

Colorectal Cancer Clinical Trial

Scientists at the Cancer Centre have shown that common cancers vary quite a bit from one person to the next. This cancer heterogeneity has led to the design of clinical trials based on the key drivers that make them grow and spread, rather than an older view based on the organ where cancers begin. For example, KRAS mutations on cancer cells cause cancers that originate in the bowel, lung and other sites to grow and spread. Investigators at the Cancer Centre are now involved in clinical trials using an oral therapy, which targets a particular KRAS mutation. Professor Liam Grogan is leading a trial to examine an oral therapy in advanced KRAS mutated colorectal cancer – a cancer where there have been very few recent advances for patients and clinical research opportunities have been limited. Professor Jarushka Naidoo is leading similar trials with this drug in lung cancer.

Haematology

Consultant Haematologist Dr Karl Ewins has recently opened two clinical trials, which are examining new bloodthinning medications in patients with cancer who develop blood clots. This is a common problem in patients with cancer and it is hoped that in the future better treatments for the complications of cancer and cancer therapy will lead to further improvements in patients’ quality of life.

Surgical Clinical Trial

Not all cancer clinical trials involve new drugs or novel radiotherapy. Professor Arnold Hill has recently led a trial examining a new surgical technique in women undergoing breast surgery. It is hoped that new approaches to surgery can result in fewer complications and quicker recovery for patients.

Cancer Trials in the National Context

Cancer Trials Ireland, the national cancer trials network, is a key partner of Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre and is located on RCSI’s St Stephen’s Green campus. The clinical trials network works closely with leading researchers, medical and radiation oncologists, surgeons and haematologists in the cancer centre to increase availability of new clinical trials for patients on the island of Ireland. “Our goal in Cancer Trials Ireland is to open new cancer clinical trials in Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre and in many other centres so that patients in Ireland can avail of the most up-to-date treatments, at no cost to themselves or the state,” comments Cancer Trials Ireland CEO, Eibhlín Mulroe. ■

Patrick Morris, Medical Director, Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre and Clinical Director, Cancer Clinical Trials & Research Unit

Lance Hudson, Research Technician, Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre, and Department of Surgery, RCSI

New Ways to Prevent, Control and Cure Disease

With cancer being the second leading cause of death in the EU, Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre focuses on science that delivers real impact

At Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre, researchers and clinicians work together to investigate smarter, targeted treatments for cancer. Here are just some of the exciting research projects and how their findings will lead to improved patient outcomes:

Targeting Breast Cancer

“Metastasis is the final frontier in cancer treatment,” states Dr Damir Varešlija, principal investigator and lecturer, RCSI School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences. Metastasis is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide with 90% of cancer deaths attributed to this process. Our greater understanding of metastatic disease has opened up new therapeutic possibilities. Comparative genomic analyses from Dr Varešlija’s research have revealed that the spread of cancer cells to distant sites is a complex process driven by changes in the cancer which have direct impact on treatment response. Evidence is emerging that dynamic changes in DNA are implicated in this process.

More recent studies supported by SFI and Breast Cancer Ireland and led by Professor Leonie Young, have mapped alterations in RNA in advanced breast cancer. Determining the clinical relevance of these dynamic ‘epigenetic’ modifications will benefit patients with breast cancer that has spread to the brain. Epigenetic therapy is an exciting new avenue for treating metastatic cancer and improving patient outcomes, as noted by Dr Varešlija.

The efficacy of new drug strategies is tested in stateof-the-art patient model systems including a novel 3D bioprinting system, developed by Dr Marie McIlroy, which can generate humanised endocrine models of cancer.

Advanced Imaging

There is now strong evidence that a ‘Western lifestyle’ and a diet rich in fast food may negatively impact on the balance of good and bad bacteria in the bowel and increase the risk of developing colorectal cancer.

In the Centre for Systems Medicine at Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre, which is led by Professor Jochen Prehn, research on the gut ‘microbiome’ and how it impacts tumour progression has shown that infection of bowel tumours with bacterium Fusobacterium nucleatum, normally found in the mouth, increases the risk of developing colorectal cancer.

“Using new technologies established at the Cancer Centre, we are investigating how a local infection of bowel cancers with this harmful bacteria influences the surrounding tumour cells to become more aggressive. We have seen that infection with this bacterium induces damage to the DNA of tumour cells and makes tumour cells more resistant to chemotherapy,” Professor Prehn explains.

Professor Prehn’s team is hoping to deliver novel diagnostic tests that identify bowel cancer patients at risk of disease progression based on their infection with specific bacteria and fungi, and is collaborating with teams at Queen’s University Belfast, Virginia Tech and GE Research in the US. The team is also developing novel therapeutic strategies to counteract the effects of harmful bacteria on tumour progression.

Professor Jochen Prehn, Professor of Physiology and Director of Centre for Systems Medicine, RCSI

Dr Damir Varešlija

Modelling Cancer

In 2021, researchers at B eaumont RCSI Cancer Centre established a unique high-resolution, preclinical microcomputed tomography (CT) facility along with state-of-theart optical imaging, including ultra high-resolution rapid scanners with the capacity for longitudinal in vivo as well as ex vivo imaging.

“Imaging of tumours is a key step in the diagnosis and treatment of cancers,” says Professor Annette Byrne, Head of the RCSI Precision Cancer Medicine Group and Director of the National Preclinical Imaging Centre (NPIC), a consolidated preclinical imaging infrastructural framework funded by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) in three national universities, including RCSI.

Novel Classification Systems For Brain Cancer

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and most aggressive form of adult primary brain cancer with no cure currently available. At the moment, the majority of patients with GBM are treated in the same way. Recent research by Professor Annette Byrne has led to the discovery of three new subtypes of brain tumour based on the types of non-cancer cells found within the tumour. Further investigation of these subtypes could help to identify new and effective therapies where different patients could receive treatment specific to the cells in their own tumour. This type of targeted treatment is known as ‘precision medicine’.

In a follow-up to this exciting discovery, Professor Byrne’s team is working towards generating sufficient data to support a GBM clinical trial in collaboration with clinical colleagues at the National Neurosurgical Centre, Beaumont Hospital Professor Byrne explains; “Glioblastoma patients currently have a poor prognosis due to limited treatment options so it is vital that new treatments be developed. Targeted treatment or ‘precision medicine’ has the potential to improve outcomes for these patients. We hope further analysis of the tumour subtypes we have recently identified will lead to new glioblastoma clinical trials in Ireland.”

Epidemiology and Population Health

Professor Kathleen Bennett and colleagues in the RCSI School of Population Health undertake research that guides, shapes and monitors crucial decisions in population health, including research integrated with education, health policy and practice. Their work includes cancer research with a focus on cancer epidemiology, cancer genomics, translational and precision medicine and cancer survivorship research.

Epidemiological research at B eaumont RCSI Cancer Centre is across most cancer types, with specific projects in breast cancer risk and survivorship, the impact of the pandemic on cancer services and outcomes in Ireland, metastatic colorectal cancer and new programmes in population science advancing health equity and psychosocial wellbeing in cancer survivorship.

Professor Bennett and colleagues collaborate with national organisations including the National Cancer Registry in Ireland, the National Cancer Control Programme, the Irish Cancer Society and others, as well as teams in other cancer centres.

Obesity and Cancer

Obesity is a major health concern worldwide. “Obesity levels in Ireland have trebled in the last 30 years, with Ireland having the worst projected obesity problem in the EU by 2030,” says Professor Tracy Robson, Head of School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences at RCSI. As well as increasing the risk of chronic illness, obesity is the second biggest cause of cancer, including oesophageal, ovarian and liver cancer, the focus of Professor Robson’s research.

She is interested in the FKBPL gene: “FKBPL slows cancer growth by inhibiting blood vessel development and cancer stem cells which support tumour growth,” she explains. Professor Robson, in collaboration with Almac Group, developed a cancer drug (ALM201) based on FKBPL, which was shown to be safe in a Phase 1 (first-in-human) cancer clinical trial.

Her research now suggests a link between FKBPL levels and weight gain, indicating that low levels of FKBPL are associated with obesity. Her research is currently focused on understanding the anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects of FKBPL to treat cancer and obesity.

Research to Reality

Research at B eaumont RCSI Cancer Centre is being translated to the clinic through academic spin-out companies including precision oncology therapeutics company PrOBmet, led by Professor Leonie Young, which is developing targeted treatments for breast cancer brain metastatic patients. ■

Professor Kathleen Bennett

Professor Tracy Robson, Head of School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, RCSI

Doctors and Scientists Together

Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre is

Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre is at the heart of the network of OECI-accredited cancer centres in Europe and works closely with national collaborative organisations including All-Island Cancer Research Institute. These centres are vital hubs where the traditional gaps between research and clinical care are bridged. Key to an effective cancer centre is the partnership model of teaching hospital and university research. At Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre, there is integration of university research and innovation into hospital cancer care. As everyone knows, achieving excellent ‘bench to bedside’ processes is essential for producing quality outcomes for patients and this lies in close collaborations between research and clinical teams. Here, we look at three such partnerships in action:

DOCTOR Professor Arnold Hill

SCIENTIST Professor Leonie Young

Advanced breast cancer remains a significant challenge. Metastasis to distant organs is difficult to treat, in particular brain metastasis which has currently no targeted therapeutic strategies.

A collaboration between breast cancer surgeon Professor Arnold Hill and scientist Professor Leonie Young involves using data and tissue samples collected from an ongoing clinical study they established in 2006 to research new druggable targets. This national clinical study is supported by Breast Cancer Ireland.

The Proteomics and Molecular Heterogeneity study, which is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and sponsored by Cancer Trials Ireland, has recruited more than 4,000 patients to date and involves all eight designated national cancer hospitals with dedicated research nurses resourced in four sites.

This biobank holds patient tissue and blood and corresponding clinical data on 7,454 cases from each of the designated cancer hospitals. The inventory is monitored with a sample tracking software system. This represents a significant resource, not just for Professors Hill and Young at Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre, but for national and international research collaborators. Studies using this resource have already contributed to clinical management changes and is enabling the detection of new drug targets, which may be less susceptible to resistance.

committed to researchers and clinicians working together in an environment that provides education for all

Professor Leonie Young, Scientific Director, Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre and Head of RCSI Endocrine Oncology Research Group, and Professor Arnold Hill, Dean of Medical Programmes at RCSI and General Breast and Endocrine Surgeon, Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre

DOCTOR Professor Siobhán Glavey SCIENTIST Dr Tríona Ní Chonghaile

Multiple myeloma is the second most common blood cancer in Ireland and despite advances in treatments in recent years, it remains incurable. In order to advance treatments for this cancer, a greater number of clinical trials are needed.

Dr Tríona Ní Chonghaile, leading scientist at Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre and Professor Siobhán Glavey, Consultant Haematologist, Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre and Head of Department of Pathology, RCSI, have formed a partnership to develop new therapeutic strategies. Their research focuses on novel therapeutics for treatmentresistant cancers. Using cuttingedge technologies such as BH3 profiling, epigenetic analysis and high-content imaging of patient tumours, this partnership between clinician and scientist has identified new personalised treatment options for patients with multiple myeloma.

Following on from this, new clinical trials are in development with the aim of offering personalised therapies to patients at the optimal time for them.

DOCTOR Professor Bryan Hennessy SCIENTIST Dr Sinéad Toomey

Clinician Professor Bryan Hennessy and scientist Dr Sinéad Toomey work together to understand the needs of patients, address these issues in the lab and make discoveries that lead to improved treatments through clinical trials. Their joint research previously led to the initiation of two clinical trials of the PI3K inhibitor copanlisib in Irish patients with advanced HER2-positive breast cancer. Other research from Professor Hennessy and Dr Toomey identified a biomarker that can be used to identify breast cancer patients most likely to respond to treatment. This will be used in a clinical trial of a new drug called trastuzumab deruxtecan, to identify breast cancer patients who can be spared treatment with cytotoxic chemotherapy which has significant side-effects. Professor Hennessy and Dr Toomey are also interested in using liquid biopsies to direct treatment, in particular the use of exhaled breath condensate (EBC) in lung cancer. Collection of EBC is completely non-invasive and it can be used to identify lung cancer patients who can receive particular targeted therapies and monitor how the patient’s tumour responds to treatment.

“Our collaborative work spans laboratory bench to hospital bedside, and back again, and helps advances from research to reach patients quickly. This ultimately ensures that patients with cancer receive the most effective targeted treatments, offering more promising outcomes,” says Professor Hennessy. ■

Professor Siobhán Glavey, Consultant Haematologist, Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre, and Head of Department of Pathology, RCSI, and Dr Tríona Ní Chonghaile, Senior Lecturer, Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, RCSI

In order to advance treatments for this cancer, a greater number of clinical trials are needed.

“Our collaborative work spans laboratory bench to bedside, and back again.”

Professor Bryan Hennessy, Consultant Medical Oncologist, Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre, Professor in the Department of Medicine, RCSI, and Honorary Senior Lecturer, RCSI, and Dr Sinéad Toomey, Lecturer in Molecular Medicine, RCSI

PHYSICIAN ASSOCIATE A NEW HEALTHCARE PROFESSION IN IRELAND

Highly skilled healthcare professionals providing quality and efficient patient care.

If you are a health sciences graduate and interested in providing patient-focused care, find out more about Ireland’s only MSc in Physician Associate Studies at rcsi.com/physicianassociate

Linda Keegan, Physician Associate with her supervising doctor, Professor Ross Morgan, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Beaumont Hospital and Honorary Clinical Associate Professor, RCSI.