A bumper year of leadership in, and contribution to, clinical trials of innovative and practice-changing approaches to cancer management by clinician-researchers at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre has led to the achievement of a record number of publications in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine in 2014.
In total, nine journal articles featured Peter Mac authorship last year — an unprecedented contribution to the world’s pre-eminent clinical medicine journal comprising seven original articles from Medical Oncology and Haematology, one from the Familial Cancer Centre (FCC) and a clinical problem solving case with Peter Mac authors from FCC, Surgery and Pathology. Two studies also featured Peter Mac medical oncologists as lead authors: Associate Professor Prue Francis and Associate Professor Ben Solomon (pictured).
Professor John Seymour: Co-Director, Cancer Medicine says the depth of strength in clinical research across Peter Mac is a major benefit to current and future patients.
‘This figure — which is the same number of New England Journal of Medicine articles as Peter Mac published in the three preceding years combined — is the result of a sustained team effort and is a testament to the international competitiveness of our outstanding clinician-researchers and the excellent work of our Clinical Trials Unit.
‘As well as the professional dividends, this international, peer-reviewed endorsement of the quality and integrity of our work imbues confidence in our patients that they are being cared for in a pre-eminent cancer centre, in which they may have access to some of the very latest treatment approaches available anywhere in the world.’
While comprehensive data is still to be collated, the year saw more than 100 other publications from clinical researchers at Peter Mac, including many significant papers in high impact journals including Nature, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Lancet Oncology, Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Cancer Discovery and Blood.
Professor Joe Trapani: Executive Director, Cancer Research, says the blockbuster year in clinical trials results is evidence of the strength of Peter Mac’s integrated research model.
‘This success does not happen by chance and we are very proud of the multitude of close professional and personal connections that keep innovative ideas bubbling away, between researchers based in the laboratory, the clinic and at the patient bedside.
‘It is also very timely success — as we make our mark on the global stage such results are a clear indication we are in strong position to deliver on our new strategic direction to accelerate discovery and translational research.’
