Addenbrooke’s cancer care acknowledged

Addenbrooke’s becomes the first general hospital in Europe to get the stamp of approval from a prestigious European cancer body at an event in Cambridge today.
The Cambridge Cancer Centre, a partnership of Cambridge University Hospitals, the University of Cambridge and Cancer Research UK and others, will be accredited today by the Organisation of European Cancer Institutes (OECI) as a comprehensive cancer centre.
The status recognises specialist cancer centres that can offer the combination of world-class research, a wide range of ground-breaking treatments, the highest educational standards and a clinical service with good outcomes for patients.
Professor Patrick Maxwell, Chair of the Centre and Head of the University’s Clinical School, and  Professor Sir Bruce Ponder, Director of the Centre, will receive the certificate from the OECI president Professor Wim van Harten at an event to showcase some of the research programmes in Cambridge that are changing the face of cancer treatment globally.
Some of the cutting-edge work undertaken by Cambridge Cancer Centre clinician scientists includes a landmark study mapping out the different types of breast cancer, an early warning test for oesophageal cancer, and DNA sequencing of sub groups of prostate cancer to target treatment to the individual and therefore improve survival rates.
Professor Sir Bruce Ponder, Director of the Cambridge Cancer Centre, said: “To be awarded this status is recognition of the hard work and collaboration between the University, Cancer Research UK and Addenbrooke’s over the last six years since the centre was established. We are bringing Cambridge science to bear on the practical problems of cancer. Closer interaction between the clinic and the lab will be the foundation for our future progress and for better outcomes for patients.”