Wednesday 22 November 2000
Dame Stella Rimington and Bob Champion today opened Europe's first dedicated Male Cancer Research Centre at The Institute of Cancer Research and declared all-out war on 'the undercover cancer'.
Dame Stella, currently Chairman of The Institute, was the first female head of MI5 from 1992 - 96. She met Bob Champion to declare a new war on a disease code-named the 'undercover cancer' - prostate cancer. Bob Champion famously rode to victory in the Grand National in 1981, having successfully fought testicular cancer.
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men. It affects 19,500 men and is responsible for 9,500 deaths each year yet it remains an unknown quantity to many people. Public awareness of the disease is negligible, many men are embarrassed to talk about it and consequently remain oblivious to the warning signs.
For the research community too, prostate cancer is still a mystery. Many of its secrets have yet to be unravelled by scientists who don't know what causes the disease and how best to treat it. Further research into prostate cancer is urgently needed.
Opening the centre at The Institute's site in Sutton, Dame Stella commented, "I am delighted to open Europe's first dedicated Male Cancer Research Centre and would like to congratulate both The Institute of Cancer Research and The Bob Champion Cancer Trust for raising the funds to build the centre. Prostate cancer has remained undercover for too long. It's a well known fact that we can be peculiarly British when it comes to discussing such matters. It's time to break the taboos."
The £3.2 million centre, which was funded by The Institute's everyman campaign and The Bob Champion Cancer Trust, will have the most extensive programme of research into the causes of prostate cancer in Europe and will allow Institute scientists to extend their research programme immeasurably. There will also be a major focus on testicular cancer, and other male urological cancers such as bladder and kidney.
The Institute is already an international leader in the field of prostate cancer research. The broad areas of research into prostate cancer which will be covered at The Institute and in the new centre are:
- Development of molecular and genetic diagnosis including use of the 'cancer chip'
- Development of better hormone therapies in advanced cases of the disease
- Improving radiotherapy in the early stages of the disease
- Understanding those factors in the environment and diet which cause prostate cancer
- Psycho-social studies to develop a better understanding of the needs of men with prostate cancer
- Britain's largest study of familial prostate cancer, looking for the genes implicated in around 10-15% of cases
- A proposal for the introduction of a national screening evaluation trial for the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test
The centre will be headed by The Institute of Cancer Research's Professor Colin Cooper. He comments:
"It is shocking that there has been no centre in Europe dedicated to prostate cancer research before now. These new facilities will allow us to further our research programme extensively. The Centre will adopt a three pronged approach. We will investigate the causes and prevention of male cancers, including for instance the role of nutrients like selenium, vitamin E and lycopene; early detection - because the earlier you detect cancer, the better the chance of survival - and treatment."
The Institute has a track record of success in the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer - particularly with its innovative conformal radiotherapy technique which was developed here to reduce side effects and improve mortality rates, and is now available across the country.
Its record is also impressive for testicular cancer research, with the development of a platinum drug in the 1970s that led to today's 96 per cent cure rate, and in the use of innovative radiotherapy techniques. Most recently, The Institute's Professor Mike Stratton led the team that localised the first hereditary testicular cancer gene. The programme of research into testicular cancer at The Institute and in the Centre will include:
- Genetic research to identify further genes responsible for familial cancer
- Development of less radical treatments which will reduce side effects such as sterility
- Understanding factors in the diet and environment which cause testicular cancer.
Dr Peter Rigby, Chief Executive of The Institute says:
"I am proud that the first dedicated Male Cancer Research Centre in Europe has been built at The Institute of Cancer Research. It is about time that prostate cancer was given the focus it deserves. For too long it has been branded a disease of older men. We must wake up to the fact that men in their sixties and seventies may well have another twenty or more years to live, if they could be properly treated.
I am also delighted that we will be expanding our excellent research programme into testicular cancer, and would like to credit The Institute's own everyman campaign and The Bob Champion Cancer Trust, for raising the funds for this building.
We now need another £2 million each year to run the centre and develop the research programme so it is essential that the public becomes more aware of the need to support this research."
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For more information, please contact The Institute of Cancer Research press office on 020 7970 6030.
Notes to editors
- The everyman campaign was set up by The Institute in 1997 to raise awareness of and funding for male cancers. The Bob Champion Cancer Trust was established in 1983 following huge interest and enthusiasm generated by Bob and Aldaniti's fairytale win of the 1981 Grand National. The Trust supports research into prostate, testicular and bladder cancers. The Institute works in partnership with the Royal Marsden NHS Trust, and together they form Europe's largest comprehensive cancer centre. This partnership means that the ground breaking research at The Institute can quickly be translated into clinical care at The Marsden.
For more information, please contact the Institute of Cancer Research press office on:-
Tel: 0207 970 6030
email: [email protected]
Please note:
Unfortunately the press office are unable to answer queries from the general public. For general cancer information please refer to The Institute's cancer information page.