World Cancer Day 2016
Planning for the future
This World Cancer Day, as we enter 2016, we’re getting ready to welcome the next five-year Cancer Plan for New South Wales.
Being released later this year, the Cancer Plan NSW 2016– to 2020 is the new statewide plan to lessen the impacts of cancers.
In the theme of #WeCanICan it will be about collaboration, bringing together government, health professionals and the NSW community to help people with cancer.
Investment in prevention, early detection, research infrastructure and data will be major elements of this Cancer Plan, together with making multidisciplinary teams a central part of the cancer discussion.
Talking Hands
This World Cancer Day, staff across the Cancer Institute NSW put their hands up and their heads together to help lessen the impact of cancer across the community.
They made the pledge to help people with cancer in NSW, showing their support through messages on their hands.
People brought their experiences together on World Cancer Day, sharing everything from personal stories, to supportive messages, to active work.
These went out across social media, showing that everyone can do something to change the life of a person with cancer, whether big or small.
Looking back, going forward
Looking to the past, it’s promising to see how far we’ve come in treating, detecting and reducing cancers worldwide.
From the first ever Pap test, to plain-packaging of cigarettes in Australia, see what has developed over almost 150 years.
What will be next?
2014
Australian first: NSW solarium ban
Commercial solariums banned due to evidence they cause skin cancers and targeted combination drug therapy halts disease and extends life in advanced melanoma patients.
2013
Ground-breaking NSW sun safety campaign
Cancer Institute NSW launches the Pretty Shady sun safety campaign.
2010
Gamma knife treatment
Australia's first Gamma knife patient treated in NSW.
2007
Australian HPV Vaccination Program commences
Australia introduced school-based National HPV Vaccination Program to drastically reduce cervical cancer cases.
2006
NSW's first skin cancer prevention campaign
Bondi lifesavers feature in the first state-based skin cancer prevention campaign, 'What are your chances'.
National Bowel Cancer Screening Program begins providing free bowel cancer screening tests.
2003
Human genome mapped
Scientists announce they have mapped the human genome (DNA) which allows researchers to identify the genetic defects that power cancer.
In the same year, Australia's first state-wide cancer control agency, the Cancer Institute NSW is established to lessen the impact of cancer in NSW.
2002
Tomotherapy trialled
First patients treated with Tomotherapy treatment in USA.
2001
New therapy for CML
New targeted therapy transforms treatment for chronic myelogenous leukaemia (CML).
1997
First ever targeted cancer drug
Rituximab is developed, the first ever targeted cancer drug.
1994
Discovery of tumour suppressor genes
The tumour suppressor gene BRCA1 is cloned. Specific inherited mutations in this gene greatly increase the risks of breast and ovarian cancer in women and the risks of several other cancers in both men and women.
The following year, the similar BRCA2 gene is also cloned.
1991
Development in anti-nausea drugs
Anti-nausea drugs alleviate major side effects of cancer treatment (Ondansetron).
1991
Australia-wide free breast cancer screening
BreastScreen Australia first provides free population breast cancer screening.
The National Cervical Screening Program is also introduced, halving cases and deaths from cervical cancer.
1990s
3D conformal radiation therapy
3D conformal radiation therapy allows doctors to shape the dose to the target tumours from multiple angles.
1986
Second-hand smoke declared carcinogenic
Second-hand smoke is officially declared a carcinogen by the US Surgeon General.
1980s
Tamoxifen stops breast cancer recurrence
A large study, led by Cancer Research UK scientists, shows that tamoxifen prevents breast cancer from coming back after surgery. This work led to a major breakthrough in the way that early cancer is treated, saving thousands of lives.
1980
Iconic sun protection ad airs in Australia
The 'Slip, Slop, Slap' skin cancer prevention campaign airs for the first time.
1975
First radiotherapy masks invented
1973
Tobacco advertising banned in Australian
Tobacco advertising on television and radio began being phased out in 1973. A total ban on tobacco and cigarette advertising commenced in 1976.
1970s
Advancements in tumour imaging
PET, MRI and CT are developed - CT scanning enables doctors to assess tumours in more detail and target them through radiation or surgery without harming patients' healthy tissue.
1965
Radiation beam shaping
Radiation beam shaping using a multileaf collimators described by Takahashi, Japan.
1965
Development in combination chemotherapy
Chemotherapy found to cure Hodgkin Lymphoma regimen called MOPP.
1963
First human cancer virus discovered
Cancer Research UK-funded scientists discover the first human cancer virus - today around one in five cancers worldwide is linked to viruses or bacteria
1958
Combination chemotherapy for leukaemia
1953
First human tumour cured
Roy Hertz and Min Chiu Li achieve the first complete cure of a human solid tumor by chemotherapy when they use the drug methotrexate to treat a patient with choriocarcinoma, a rare cancer of the reproductive tissue that mainly affects women.
1953
Linac based RT
Linac based radiotherapy for cancer began in 1953 in London Hammersmith hospital
1951
Cobalt 60 radiation
First patient to be treated with cobalt 60 radiation, Canada.
1950s
Game changing tobacco studies
Landmark studies in the UK and US conclude that cigarette smoking causes lung cancer (75% of Australian men were smokers at this time).
1949
First chemotherapy drug approved for cancer
1947
First successful chemotherapy treatment
Nitrogen Mustard is used to treat Hodgkin Lymphoma. The treatment was discovered from an agent found in deadly mustard gas used during WWI.
1947
First ever remission of paediatric leukaemia
1940s
Bone marrow transplants
Dr Jacobson performs the first experimental bone marrow transplants in animals, laying the groundwork for bone marrow transplantation in humans.
1930s
First commercial sunscreens sold
Founder of L'Oreal cosmetics, Eugene Schueller, markets one of the first sunscreen products.
1928
The Pap Test is developed
1898
Radiation therapy
Marie and Pierre Curie discover radium and in the following decades radiation therapy becomes widely used to treat many different cancers.
1882
Mastectomy
The first mastectomy for breast cancer is conducted by William Stewart Halstead.
