New €4.9m Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre and Irish Cancer Society Partnership to Transform Lung Cancer Care in Ireland

On 30th October The Irish Cancer Society has been launched a €4.9 million lung cancer research programme, marking the largest single investment in lung cancer in Ireland’s history.

A groundbreaking initiative between the Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre and the Irish Cancer Society, supported by a €4.9 million investment, aims to revolutionize lung cancer care and research in Ireland. This partnership seeks to enhance access to state-of-the-art cancer care and Irish Cancer Society support services within the community.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Ireland and worldwide, surpassing the combined fatalities of breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers. Recognizing the critical importance of early detection in improving survival rates, the program will introduce the Beaumont RCSI Irish Cancer Society Lung Health Check. This clinical trial will collaborate with selected GP practices in North Dublin and the North East region, inviting high-risk individuals to participate in community-based mobile scanning units for lung health assessments.

Averil Power, CEO of the Irish Cancer Society, said:

“This historic investment by the Irish Cancer Society marks a turning point for lung cancer in Ireland. Lung cancer kills more Irish people every year than any other cancer, mainly because it is diagnosed late when it is difficult to treat. We are confident this pilot programme will save lives by detecting cancer early.

We hope that in time it will lead to a free national lung check programme for all Irish people at high risk of getting lung cancer. We are also delighted this partnership will integrate Irish Cancer Society services within the care pathways in Beaumont Hospital. This will make it easier for patients to access our free advice, counselling, peer support, hospital transport and other services, and provide a model for other hospitals to follow.”

The six-year Beaumont RCSI Irish Cancer Society Lung Outreach Programme will focus on advancing cancer care through early detection, advanced diagnostics, and innovative treatments. The partnership aims to improve outcomes for lung cancer patients by enhancing all key aspects of disease management, from initial GP consultations through diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship.

The programme is devised and led by Jarushka Naidoo, Professor of Medical Oncology at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Science and Consultant Medical Oncologist at Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre. She currently serves as national lung cancer lead for Cancer Trials Ireland.

“This programme represents a paradigm shift for lung cancer care and innovation in Ireland. By combining the expertise of clinicians and scientists at the Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre with vital support from the Irish Cancer Society, we will not only detect lung cancer earlier but also deliver more personalised and effective treatments. This funding is a critical turning point – the largest investment for lung cancer – where it is much needed, and for those at greatest risk.”

Key Research Projects:

Lung Health Check: Launching Ireland’s first mobile lung health check pilot funded by the Irish Cancer Society and supported by the EU4Health SOLACE consortium, targeting high-risk individuals for early detection of lung conditions.

Improving Primary Care Pathways for lung cancer: Collaborating with GPs to enhance lung cancer detection, diagnostics, and survivorship pathways.

Rapid Blood Tests to determine best treatment options: Implementing liquid biopsies to identify optimal treatment options for newly diagnosed lung cancer patients, facilitating faster access to life-saving therapies.

Immunotherapy for the treatment of lung cancer: Investigating immunotherapies for treating KRAS-mutant lung cancer, a particularly challenging subtype prevalent in Ireland.

This announcement aligns with Lung Cancer Awareness Month, underscoring the urgent need for improved lung cancer outcomes in Ireland. The partnership represents a significant step towards transforming how lung cancer is managed and treated in the country.

Participation in the Lung Health Check is by invitation only. Individuals concerned about their lung health or exhibiting signs of lung cancer are encouraged to contact their GP immediately.

Averil Power:

“€4.9 million investment by the Irish Cancer Society to pilot lung cancer screening in Ireland.

Lung cancer kills more Irish people than any other cancer, mainly because it is usually diagnosed late when it is difficult to treat. It doesn’t have to be this way. When caught early, surgery is often the only treatment required and 9 out of 10 people will survive.

Other countries are picking up lung cancers earlier through free lung health checks for people at greatest risk. The Irish Cancer Society wants Irish people to have the same opportunity. That’s why we are announcing Ireland’s largest ever investment in lung cancer today, in partnership with Beaumont Hospital Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) Cancer Centre.

Under our partnership, Prof Jarushka Naidoo and her team at BRCSI will pilot a free lung health check for people at high risk of lung cancer in North Dublin and Louth.

The Irish Cancer Society is confident this will not only save lives among pilot participants but it will also lead in time to a free national lung check programme for everyone at high risk of lung cancer. Just as the Society’s initial €1 million investment in bowel screening led to Ireland’s national bowel screening programme.

Our funding will also enable Jarushka and her team to develop improved primary care pathways for lung cancer and rapid blood tests to help people access tailored treatments earlier. They will also test immunotherapies to treat KRAS-mutant lung cancer, which is common in Ireland but particularly challenging to treat.

In addition, we will be working with Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre to enhance access to the Society’s free advice, counselling, peer support, transport and other services. Our services are available to anyone in Ireland who needs them.

This partnership will develop a new model of care, through which our services are better integrated within the hospital’s clinical pathways. This should ensure no-one being treated for cancer at Beaumont hospital suffers because they didn’t know the Society could help, and develop a model for other hospitals to follow.

The Irish Cancer Society is delighted to announce this groundbreaking investment today and hugely grateful to all our donors and supporters for making it possible. Together, we are saving lives and improving the lives of people affected by cancer in Ireland.”

Jarushka Naidoo:

“Introducing the Beaumont RCSI ICS Lung Cancer program grant, a €4.9mil investment from Irish Cancer Society for:

– Ireland’s first early detection pilot
– Liquid biopsy research
– Primary care research
– Investigator-led KRAS/IO trials

Delighted PI.”