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Public Symposium on Cancer widely applauded“The Fight Against Cancer – Where do We Stand?”For the first time, the annual International Cancer Conference(www.cancerconference.ie) organised a Public Symposium on Cancer, at the Instituteof Molecular Medicine, St. James’s Hospital on Wednesday 13 th May 2009. Thesymposium was entitled, ‘The Fight against Cancer – Where do we Stand?’The Symposium was chaired by well known broadcaster and author Dr. JohnBowman and Dr. Muiris Houston of the Irish Times and featured keynote speakersfrom the US, Ireland and Northern Ireland addressing different topics that are ofinterest and concern to members of the public and fielding question on issues asdiverse as cancer services, early diagnosis, novel therapies and cancer prevention.Dr John Bowman, speaking at the Opening of the Public Symposium at CANCER 2009The Symposium was opened by Mr John Gallagher, City Councillor for the SouthWest Inner City, the constituency in which St James’s Hospital is located and DrMuiris Houston, The Irish Times. Addressing the assembled audience of over 100people, Mr Gallagher said “It is so important that Hospitals and Universities engagewith the community in a meaningful way, particularly in areas as important ascancer. The people of Dublin and indeed of Ireland need to hear clear messages inrelation to cancer and have a forum where they can ask questions and approachprofessionals in the field to discuss their worries and broaden their education in thisimportant area. The Conference organisers are to be congratulated for developingthis “people friendly” initiative”.Commenting on this initiative Dr Muiris Houston said “ it is so important thatscientific conferences include a public component. It is great to see the same speakerstalk with their medical peers and with a non scientific lay audience.”

Outlining his view of cancer as a journey rather than a battle, Dr Houston said“Cancer in 2009 is often a story with a good ending. It is no longer a death sentence,a word to be spoken in hushed terms, if at all.”Mr John Gallagher and Dr Muiris Houston address the Public SymposiumDr Joe Simone, Director, Florida Shands Cancer Centre, USA and a speaker at thePublic Symposium, praised the concept for the Public Symposium, saying “It is veryimportant that members of the public are engaged in all aspects of the cancerjourney. Providing information on cancer prevention, early diagnosis and cancer riskare key to improving cancer outcomes and empowering the public as advocates forcancer care and cancer research is a positive way of moving forward”.The Symposium started with a look at the science behind cancer, with Prof MarkLawler, St James’s Hospital and Trinity College Dublin explaining how genetics has akey role to play, not only in cancer development but also in how we diagnose cancerearlier and develop new therapies for this common disease which is set to overtakeheart disease as the leading killer in this country over the next decade.Attendees at the Public Symposium, The Fight against Cancer, Where do we stand?In a session entitled Man, Woman, Child; Current perspectives on cancer risk andcancer care, Prof Ralph De Vere White, Director of the Cancer Centre at UC Davis,California, USA outlined how prostate cancer develops, the risk factors, the current

and future therapeutic approaches and the case for prostate cancer screening. ProfJohn Crown, St Vincent’s University Hospital gave an interesting and thoughtprovoking presentation on women’s cancers, focussing particularly on breast, ovarianand cervical cancer, emphasising the importance of cancer clinical trials and the needto roll out screening and vaccination programmes for cervical cancer. Prof JoeSimone, Florida Shands Cancer Centre, USA, highlighted the success story forchildren’s cancers, particularly leukemia but also emphasised that although nearly80% of children’s leukemias are cured, we need to push forward in our efforts to curethe other 20%.Dr Fenton Howell, Director of Population Health, HSE spoke on the importance ofrecognising the environmental and lifestyle risk factors that predispose to cancerincluding cigarette smoking, exposure to sun and the use of sunbeds and theincreasing risk of cancer linked to obesity. He also championed the cause of cancerprevention. Prof Patrick Johnston, Head of the School of Medicine, QueensUniversity Belfast, presented his vision of the future of cancer medicine, the vitalimportance of linking science to medicine, of availing of new technological advancesand most of all the need to work in partnership between different disciplines in orderto achieve our goal of reducing both cancer incidence and cancer mortality.The speakers were joined by a panel that included Dr Tony O Brien Director of theNational Cancer Control Programme Screening Programme, Prof Owen SmithPaediatric Haematologist, Our Ladys Childrens’ Hospital Crumlin, Mr ThomasLynch, Consultant Urologist and writer of a regular column on Mens’ Health in theIrish Times and Ms Kathleen O Meara, Head of Advocacy and Communications, IrishCancer Society for a lively and informative Questions and Answers Session.Professor Mark Lawler, conference organiser said “We have decided to extend ourconference programme to include direct interaction with the general public – and thisis what this symposium is about. Our panel of experts took questions and dealt withcancer related issues, which are of concern to so many people. We aimed to providethe latest information on cancer, to include risk, treatment, the future and newtherapies. The feedback from those attending this Symposium was very positive – theyfound it a very helpful and informative event which helped them to understand moreabout cancer and answered their questions and fears”.Commenting on the Symposium, Mr John McCormack, CEO of the Irish CancerSociety, a major collaborator in this event, said, “A public symposium is a greatopportunity to explain many issues about cancer, from prevention to palliative care,providing a forum for information to be delivered and questions to be answered in ahelpful way”.The success of this Public Symposium means that a public engagement of this kindwill be an annual event on the calendar.