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The Kinghorn Cancer Centre construction update
It has been wonderful to see the building accelerate to near completion of the shell over the last few months. Pictured left are Prof John Shine AO FAA, Mr John Kinghorn, Mrs Jill Kinghorn, and Mr William (Bill) Ferris AC, who recently enjoyed a trip to the top of the building.
It was particularly exciting for TKCC visionaries to be able to inspect that part of the ground floor that will be devoted to the delivery of cancer treatment, in the area generously funded by the Nelune Foundation.
Concrete pouring is going well with only a few slabs remaining (levels 10, 11 and 12). The facade is now being installed at level 4, and breakthrough works are underway, linking TKCC to Garvan.
Fit out lists for furniture and equipment are now being reviewed, with an eye on procuring early in 2012. Working groups have been established to plan for and test the IT network as well as the telephone network within The Kinghorn Cancer Centre.
Cancer research news from Garvan
Garvan cancer researchers recently uncovered a process that will bring about a fundamental shift in our view of the epigenetic processes that lead to cancer. Epigenetics involves biochemical changes in our bodies that directly impact our DNA, making some genes actives, while silencing others. The current finding shows that a mechanism underlying one such epigenetic manoeuvre – ‘histone modification’ – appears to lock and unlock genes that prevent and trigger cancer.
Researchers are confident that the finding potentially provides a new diagnostic marker for cancer – as well as a novel therapeutic target for all cancers.
Cancer services/care news from St Vincent’s
The St Vincent’s clinical team has been refining the design of its clinical areas, to ensure that the Kinghorn Cancer Centre meets the functional requirements to deliver state of the art clinical care, informed by research knowledge, evidence and respectful and compassionate care.
The team has been developing performance indicators to measure these aspects as part of its Cancer and Immunology Program strategic planning process. Discussions are continuing with parties interested in providing services to patients in the Wellness Centre, allowing us to provide holistic care to patients.
Some have asked what personalised medicine, a cornerstone of the KCC concept, means. This diagram provides a simplified explanation, showing how patients can participate in research, while at the same time receiving the benefit of analyses that predict which treatment is best for them.
