The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust

We've partnered with The Francis Crick Institute to launch a UK-wide programme into cancer immunotherapy response 🔬 The platform is funded through a £9 million grant provided by Medical Research Council & Department of Health and Social Care's Office for Life Sciences, as well as £12.9 million in matched funds from industry partners. This new UK-wide programme, titled MANIFEST (Multiomic Analysis of Immunotherapy Features Evidencing Success and Toxicity), has been set up to evaluate the barriers to the success of immunotherapy in the hope that these can be addressed, and more patients can have access to this vital treatment in the future. Drugs that help the immune system fight cancer, collectively known as immunotherapy, are a frontline treatment for some types of cancer like melanoma (a form of skin cancer). Long-term studies have shown it can completely eradicate advanced disease for some patients. Presently, however, the majority of people with cancer do not benefit from immunotherapy, with many relapsing or experiencing significant side effects. Even when used to treat melanoma, where it is most successful, only about 50 per cent of patients respond positively to immunotherapy. The platform will involve thousands of patients treated with immunotherapy from across the UK. The initial testing will include 3,000 patients who have already completed their treatment and then 3,000 who are starting treatment across the UK for breast, bladder, kidney and skin cancer, with plans to include additional cancer types as the programme expands. https://lnkd.in/emgfpZWC

We'd like to extend our congratulations to nine researchers from The Royal Marsden and The Institute of Cancer Research who have been awarded the prestigious title of Professor or Reader. Congratulations to Glenn Flux, Paul Huang, Martin Kaiser and Anguraj Sadanandam, Ph.D. who all gain the title of Professor. And congratulations to Shaman Jhanji, Sheela Rao, Gillian Ross and David Taussig who all gained the title of Reader. Nuria Porta gained the title of Reader with promotion to Career Faculty at the ICR. The ICR's Professor and Reader titles recognise each recipient’s significant contribution to cancer research, as well as their ongoing participation in academic excellence, teaching and leadership. Recipients took up their new title from 1 October. Well done to all 👏

Researchers at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust discover new treatment that improves survival for advanced anal cancer patients Patients with squamous cell anal cancer who are unable to have surgery to remove the cancer, or whose cancer has spread elsewhere in the body, are usually treated with chemotherapy, but combining treatment with immunotherapy drug retifanlimab significantly improves survival. Immunotherapy stimulates the body's immune system to fight cancer cells and results from the phase three POD1UM-303/InterAACT2 trial demonstrate that adding retifanlimab to standard-of-care chemotherapy resulted in a 37 per cent reduction in the risk of cancer progression or death. The incidence of squamous cell anal cancer is currently increasing at about 3% per year and patients with inoperable or metastatic squamous cell anal cancer often have a poor five-year survival. There are currently no approved treatment options for these patients. Dr Sheela Rao, Consultant Medical Oncologist at The Royal Marsden and global chief investigator of the study said: “This trial is the first phase three trial evaluating a checkpoint inhibitor for the treatment of patients with advanced squamous cell anal cancer, a disease with significant unmet medical need. “Advanced squamous cell anal cancer is an often-neglected, rare condition that, despite its increasing incidence and the often poor prognosis, has had the same standard of care treatment for decades. "I believe the positive results from this trial offer a long awaited option with retifanlimab as a potential new treatment option to use with chemotherapy for adults with inoperable, locally recurrent or metastatic squamous cell anal cancer.” https://lnkd.in/ez7mhExy

Earlier this year, four of our paediatric specialists travelled to Islamabad, Pakistan's capital, as part of our ongoing partnership with the Pakistan Society of Pediatric Oncology - PSPO. Katy Hedges, Paediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist, was responsible for organising the trip which included creating an agenda for a national nursing conference and working with Pakistani colleagues on the latest developments in paediatric nursing. Speaking about the experience, Karen Powell, Clinical Nurse Specialist, said: "For me, this was an opportunity not to be missed. "Having never been to Pakistan or nursed overseas, I was unsure how compassion fatigue, self-care or quality improvement were perceived compared with the UK experience, but I felt it was important to speak about them. “Speaking to the nurses at the conference, it was clear that these were issues that transcended cultures – and our common language was care for our patients and supporting each other." The average survival rate for children with cancer in Pakistan is estimated to be just 30-35%, compared with 80% in the UK. This is due to issues such as a lack of awareness of childhood cancer among parents, the unavailability of specialist treatment facilities and a shortage of trained paediatric oncologists and specialist support staff. Poor infection control standards in healthcare facilities are also a contributing factor. Dr Mary Taj, Consultant Paediatric Oncologist, added: “This visit provided an opportunity to network and develop relationships. "It was heartwarming to meet colleagues who are working hard to improve patient outcomes where there are scarce resources. We’re very much looking forward to returning to Pakistan."

Congratulations to our Senior Adult Oncology Programme Team who won 'Improving Care for Older People Initiative of the Year' at the HSJ Patient Safety Award 🎉 The Senior Adult Oncology Programme (SAOP) is the first multidisciplinary team MDT-led, consultative, geriatric oncology service implemented in a tertiary cancer centre in the UK. Dr. Nicolò Matteo Luca Battisti, Consultant Medical Oncologist and Clinical Lead for the Senior Adult Oncology Programme, said: “Receiving this award on behalf of the SAOP multidisciplinary team has been a great honour. This award has provided national recognition of the hard work that we have invested into this work over the last 4 years. "Observing the benefits of embedding geriatric assessments and personalised multidisciplinary interventions into the routine care of older adults with cancer has been a fantastic experience highlighting the benefits of a holistic, multidisciplinary care approach for this large and increasing patient population in collaboration with the oncology teams. "We wish to thank all the Royal Marsden staff members for supporting our work, RM Partners who made this possible with the initial funding, our Trust volunteers, patient representatives and, most importantly, the SAOP multidisciplinary team (Anne Barrell, Hannah Furness, Vanya Slavova-Boneva, Jane Murphy, Megan Pattwell, Amanda Edmondson) without whom this would never have been possible and for whom this is all about our patients.” https://lnkd.in/eWDxFdwm

🔬🌍 The Royal Marsden at #ESMO24 🌍🔬 Speakers at #ESMO24 present the latest findings and developments their research studies to the international cancer research community. This year, Dr Elena Cojocaru, Clinical Research Fellow, presented findings from the SIGNIFIED study. Led by The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust - and supported by funding from The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity - the SIGNIFIED study investigated the benefits of cancer screening for patients with Li-Fraumeni syndrome by using whole body MRI scans. The study examined whether annual whole-body MRI scans could catch cancers earlier for those with the rare genetic condition. Dr Angela George, Clinical Director of Genomics and Consultant Medical Oncologist in Gynaecology at The Royal Marsden and lead investigator of the SIGNIFIED, said: “The results of this study are clear in showing a significant benefit in the use of whole-body MRI scans to catch cancers earlier in patients with Li-Fraumeni syndrome. “Early diagnosis is key in improving outcomes for patients in all cancer types. By catching cancer early, we have a better chance of treating it more effectively, so for the people with Li-Fraumeni syndrome in this study who received a diagnosis, this could be life changing.” Li-Fraumeni is a rare syndrome, but those who have it are at a much higher risk of developing cancer due to an inherited gene. All people who have Li-Fraumeni syndrome have a 90% chance of developing one or more types of cancer in their lifetime and a 50% chance of developing cancer before the age of 30. https://bit.ly/3zga96B

Two exciting studies were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting this weekend by Professor James Larkin, Consultant Medical Oncologist at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, and colleagues. The research highlighted the benefits of immunotherapies nivolumab and ipilimumab for different patients with melanoma. These drugs work by helping the immune system find and destroy cancer cells as they spread. The latest results from the global Checkmate 067 trial show that nearly half of patients with stage 4 melanoma are still alive more than six years after being treated with nivolumab and ipilimumab in combination, with an overall survival rate of 49%. Data also showed that when taken alone, nivolumab had an overall survival rate of 42%. Professor James Larkin, a lead investigator of the Checkmate 067 and 238 trials, said: “The results from both trials are very encouraging for patients with both stage 3 and 4 melanoma, particularly as the disease was previously considered untreatable once it had spread. Immunotherapies like nivolumab and ipilimumab have completely changed our survival expectations for patients with difficult to treat cancers. This progress is thanks to pioneering research and clinical trials undertaken at cancer centres across the world, including The Royal Marsden.” https://bit.ly/2S59KOM

Our Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2024 will take place on Thursday 26 September at 5.30pm. If you would like to attend the AGM, please book your place for either in-person or virtual attendance via our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3TrQpDT Please note that there is limited capacity for in-person attendance. The event will be held in person in the Julian Bloom Theatre at The Royal Marsden in Chelsea. The AGM will be recorded and then placed on the Trust’s website.

"I love my job because I'm able to help give my patients their lives back." At The Royal Marsden, lymphoedema is managed by a team of specialist professionals who provide a holistic service to our patients, supporting their physical symptoms and psychological wellbeing. Careers in lymphoedema are extremely rewarding and we've delighted to see our team shine in new videos created with NHS Health Careers. ➡️ Lymphoedema is a chronic condition that causes swelling in the body's tissue. It can result from some cancers or their treatment. 💡 Over 450,000 people in the UK have lymphoedema, making it more common than the combined number of people with Multiple Sclerosis, Motor Neurone Disease, HIV and Parkinson’s Disease. 🤝 Lymphoedema is a long-term condition, which means professionals develop long term, trusting relationships with their patients. 🔬Research into the cause and management of lymphoedema is an exciting and evolving field with many opportunities for professionals. 🏥 Practitioners interested in a career in lymphoedema can follow clear pathways from both hospital and community settings. For more information about careers in lymphoedema, education and training, visit The British Lymphology Society.

⭐ Job vacancy ⭐ We have an exciting opportunity available for a Band 7, Assistant HR Business Partner to join the team on a 12-month fixed term contract. To apply, please visit our website --> https://bit.ly/4dT2OZw As one of the Business Partners you will: ✅ provide professional HR advice and coaching to managers ✅ support designated Trust-wide HR initiatives and projects ✅ support the HR Business Partners in providing strategic HR focus to the Divisional Management Teams and their key stakeholders.