Leading the Fight against Cancer

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

Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre is a key national initiative

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.”

Beaumont 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.”

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

Beaumont 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. ■