Our research is making a difference

Since 1963 we have invested over €22 million from voluntary donations into hundreds of innovative research projects. These projects have contributed enormously to our understanding of cancer, how it develops and how to treat different forms of cancer.

Our research has led to over 650 discoveries. Each of these new findings have been published in international peer reviewed journals, making this knowledge available to researchers worldwide.

Why do research

Latest data from the National Cancer Registry of Ireland shows that last year in Ireland over 29,000 people were diagnosed with cancer. Research into preventing, diagnosing and treating cancer is a must to help fight this disease. Research also helps identify the causes of cancer and is pointing the way to improved methods of diagnosis and treatment.

What our research has achieved

Some of the major discoveries from our research include:

• a 'suicide gene' in leukaemia by Tom Cotter in Cork.
• a biological marker that predicts metastasis (cancer spread) in breast cancer.
• a new technology which is now being used in cancer research labs around the world
• a new drug, PBOX-15, which has shown potential in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia

In 2010 alone, over 30 discoveries from research we funded were published in international peer reviewed journals.

Through our support for clinical research, we can offer hope to cancer patients by providing them with access to treatments not currently available outside of the clinical research arena. We are long standing supporters of ICORG, the All Ireland Cooperative Cancer Research Group. Our funding in 2010 of €300,000 contributed towards 1,281 patients getting access to clinic trials for Breast Cancer, Colorectal Cancer, Myeloma, Melanoma, Prostate, Lymphoma and Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer among others.

Research case studies

Read more about the major strides we've made in cancer research:

• Success in leukaemia research
• Success in prostate cancer research