Gynaecology focusGynaecologicalcancer facts21women a dayare diagnosedwith uterinecancer in the UK,making this themost commongynaecologicalcancer8in10womendiagnosed withovarian cancerare over the ageof 50 and havebeen throughthe menopauseDr Susana Banerjeein conversationwith a patientother specialties to providecomprehensive cancer care.“<strong>The</strong> gynaecological team hasa strong research profile,” saysDr Lalondrelle. “In radiotherapy,we offer technical expertise thatis not widely available. We havea large radiotherapy departmentat both Sutton and Chelsea,offering CyberKnife, intensitymodulatedradiotherapy (IMRT),arc therapy, brachytherapy andimage-guided treatments.”As well as treating patientsday-to-day, Dr Lalondrelleand her team are conductingimportant research that willimprove the delivery of cancertreatment. As part of this excitingwork, she is using CyberKnifeto treat recurring cancers thatmay have previously receivedradiotherapy – something thatis not normally possible.“We are always striving tofurther personalise cancertreatment to increase the chancesof cure,” says Dr Lalondrelle. “Inradiotherapy, we are looking atmethods that integrate PET andother imaging into treatment toguide the need for a larger orsmaller radiotherapy dose.“Some cancers are moreaggressive than others, and wecurrently treat them all the same.If we could predict how a cancerwould respond to treatment, wecould individualise the treatmentto give just the right dosage,which could lead to moresuccessful treatments for someand fewer side effects for others.”Dr Alexandra TaylorDr Taylor, Consultant ClinicalOncologist, specialises in thetreatment of gynaecologicalcancers with radiotherapy,brachytherapy andchemotherapy. She has aparticular interest in advancedradiotherapy technologies,including IMRT, image-guidedbrachytherapy and CyberKnife.“This is a unique environmentwhere clinical excellence isexpected and innovation stronglysupported,” says Dr Taylor.“With this infrastructure, it ispossible to rapidly implementnew developments and todevelop clinical research.”Dr Taylor is undertakingresearch into novel applicationsfor these advanced techniquesin gynaecological cancer.This includes a dose escalationstudy with IMRT for cervicalcancer, which allows us toreduce the dose to normaltissues – thereby reducingthe risk of side effects – butdeliver more radiotherapy toselected areas within the pelvis.This allows for a higher dosethan is safe with conventionalradiotherapy, and shouldimprove cure rates.“<strong>The</strong> <strong>Royal</strong> <strong>Marsden</strong> has astrong history of radiotherapyresearch with an internationallyacclaimed radiotherapy physicsteam,” says Dr Taylor. “This hasled to multiple clinical studiesassessing new techniques suchas IMRT and stereotacticradiotherapy with CyberKnife.”Helen Taylor,CyberKnife LeadRadiographer, andDr Alexandra Taylor“IN RADIOTHERAPY,WE OFFER TECHNICALEXPERTISE THAT IS NOTWIDELY AVAILABLE”DR SUSAN LALONDRELLE,CONSULTANT CLINICAL ONCOLOGIST6 <strong>The</strong> <strong>Royal</strong> <strong>Marsden</strong> <strong>Private</strong> <strong>Care</strong>
Research newsRESEARCH UPDATEFellowship honour for<strong>Royal</strong> <strong>Marsden</strong> consultantsTwo eminent researchersfrom <strong>The</strong> <strong>Royal</strong> <strong>Marsden</strong>and <strong>The</strong> Institute of CancerResearch (ICR) have beenelected to the Academyof Medical Sciences inrecognition of their effortsto defeat prostate cancer.Professor Johann de Bonoand Professor Ros Eelesare among 46 new Fellowschosen this year for theiroutstanding contributionsto the medical sciences.As Honorary ConsultantMedical Oncologist and Headof the Drug Development Unitat <strong>The</strong> <strong>Royal</strong> <strong>Marsden</strong>, andProfessor of ExperimentalCancer Medicine at the ICR,Professor de Bono specialisesin developing new targeteddrugs for prostate cancerpatients. Several of thesedrugs, including the hormonetherapy abiraterone (Zytiga)and the chemotherapeuticcabazitaxel (Jevtana), arenow available to patients afterPhase III trials led by Professorde Bono showed they couldextend life for men withlate-stage prostate cancer.Professor Eeles is HonoraryConsultant in ClinicalProfessorJohannde BonoOncology at <strong>The</strong> <strong>Royal</strong><strong>Marsden</strong> and Professor ofOncogenetics at the ICR. Sheand her team have identifiedabout 50 genetic variants thatpredispose men to prostatecancer. Professor Eeles isalso working to integratethis information into patientWe’re making great progress in identifyingmen at increased risk of prostate cancer...I’m pleased that this has been recognisedPROFESSOR ROS EELES, HONORARYCONSULTANT IN CLINICAL ONCOLOGYProfessorRos Eelescare through individualrisk profiling and targetedscreening programmes.Professor de Bono said:“I’m delighted to be awardedthis prestigious Fellowship,which acknowledges the workconducted by our team at <strong>The</strong><strong>Royal</strong> <strong>Marsden</strong> and the ICRin anti-cancer clinical drugdevelopment and improvingthe outcome of patients withadvanced prostate cancer.”Professor Eeles said: “ThisFellowship also reflects onthe hard work and dedicationof my team. Our researchis making great progress inidentifying men at increasedrisk of prostate cancer so thatthey can be offered targetedscreening and tailoredtreatment programmes. I’mpleased that the Academy hasrecognised the importance ofthis type of research.”SUPPORT FOR THREE JOINT RESEARCH PROJECTSVital research work has receiveda boost from a new academicpartnership fund.Three projects have receivedmoney from the Mount VernonChallenge Fund, which supportsjoint research projects between<strong>The</strong> <strong>Royal</strong> <strong>Marsden</strong>, <strong>The</strong>Institute of Cancer Research(ICR) and Mount Vernon CancerCentre in Hertfordshire.<strong>The</strong> fund follows the launchof an academic partnershipbetween the three organisationsin June 2010. <strong>The</strong> partnershipwas launched to initiate newopportunities for translationalresearch in both commonand rare cancers, includingradiotherapy research usingCyberKnife, which is installedat both <strong>The</strong> <strong>Royal</strong> <strong>Marsden</strong>and Mount Vernon.Dr Paul Nathan, Researchand Development Directorat Mount Vernon, said: “<strong>The</strong>Challenge Fund demonstratesthe potential from collaborationsbetween our three institutions.<strong>The</strong> three projects fundedare of the highest qualityand we hope that furthercollaborative projects willbe funded in the future.” Drs Vicky Goh, Sonia Li andAndreas Makris from MountVernon, and Professor MitchDowsett and Ms Janine Salterfrom <strong>The</strong> <strong>Royal</strong> <strong>Marsden</strong> andthe ICR successfully appliedfor funding for their researchproject on volumetric perfusionCT in the assessment of primarybreast cancer. Dr Andreas Makris andProfessor David Miles fromMount Vernon, and ProfessorsIan Smith, Mitch Dowsett andStephen Johnston from<strong>The</strong> <strong>Royal</strong> <strong>Marsden</strong> and theICR received funds for theirproject Breast Research UnitsClinical Research Fellow foroptimisation of neoadjuvanttherapy for the treatment ofearly breast cancer. Drs Paul Nathan, Vicky Gohand Anwar Padhani from MountVernon, and Professor MartinGore and Drs Andrew Reynolds,James Larkin, Simon Robinsonand Dow-Mu Koh from <strong>The</strong><strong>Royal</strong> <strong>Marsden</strong> and the ICR weresuccessful in their applicationfor their research into drugresistance, drug sequencingand predictive markers inmetastatic renal cancer.<strong>The</strong> <strong>Royal</strong> <strong>Marsden</strong> <strong>Private</strong> <strong>Care</strong> 7