Groundbreaking cancertrial hailed as a 'game changer'

There are hopes that a groundbreaking cancer trial conducted at Cork University Hospital which significantly cuts down the waiting time for genetic testing from two years to four weeks, will be made permanent.

Doctors say the ‘mainstreaming’ pilot project at Cork University Hospital (CUH) is a game changer in the battle against the disease.

Mainstreaming profiles a patient’s cancer, giving specialists ‘an extra piece of the jigsaw’ to decode the most effective surgery, treatment or medication.

But it also has the potential to prevent cancer and deaths by identifying hereditary gene mutations that can be passed from patients to their children and grandchildren.

The initiative involves sending blood tests from newly diagnosed cancer patients at CUH, as well as those on treatment waiting lists, to a laboratory in mainland Europe.

The trial has already fast-tracked testing for more than 80 patients, and thanks to additional funding, it will continue for the rest of this year, providing testing for an additional 30 cancer patients each month.

Speaking about the trial CUH surgical oncologist, Professor Mark Corrigan said: “We are very excited about this. Reducing the time it takes to identify what form of cancer we are dealing with through swamped national services, taking two years, to just four weeks in Cork, is massive.”

“If we can determine what specific genes are contributing to a patient’s cancer, we can use that information to modify their treatment. We can now see patients, counsel them, order the test and have it back in a matter of weeks. Extra funding is extending the pilot until the end of this year but we want to expand and develop it well beyond that. It is having a transformative effect on cancer care.”

Fiona O'Keeffe, a 49 year old mother of two from Cork, who is recovering from breast cancer, is advocating for the program to become a permanent fixture.

Fiona's own experience with the disease began when she was diagnosed at the age of 46. Her sister also faced a similar battle at the age of 40, and they lost their mother, Mary, to cancer last year.

In Fiona's case, she was not able to benefit from the new testing programme at CUH. She had to travel to Dublin for genetic testing to identify the specific gene responsible for the cancer in her family. This posed a significant disruption as it took her away from local experts in Cork.

“In that time, you lose the connection with the people that you’re used to dealing with,” she said.

“This new clinic is so welcome as you are containing all of your care in one place so it’s less stressful. My hope is that it is here to stay to benefit the next generation,” she said.

Specialists are calling for ongoing national and public support to secure the permanent establishment of the project through the CUH Charity.