The ICR’s record of achievement in understanding the genetic basis of cancer is second to none, and our scientists continue to make significant progress.

The Section for Cancer Therapeutics continues to identify on average two clinical development candidates per year
The Section of Medicine’s Drug Development Unit, the Section of Cancer Genetics Breast Cancer Team and The Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre's Cancer Research UK Gene Function and Regulation Group received the highest possible score of ‘Outstanding’ for both past work and future proposals at their Cancer Research UK quinquennial reviews. This score is awarded to only 5% of programmes
Scientists in the Section of Structural Biology have determined the molecular structure of HSP90, a key anti-cancer drug target which may greatly help in developing treatments for a range of cancers including prostate, breast, bowel, ovarian and kidney
This year, scientists in the Section of Cancer Genetics discovered three new breast cancer genes, ATM, BRIP1 and PALB2
Work at the ICR in the Breakthrough Toby Robins Breast Cancer Research Centre, in collaboration with AstraZeneca, has shown that tumours carrying mutations in the familial breast cancer predisposition genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 (which was discovered at the ICR), are very sensitive to a specific enzyme inhibiting drug. The first clinical trials are being conducted at the ICR
Clinical trials with abiraterone, a 17-hydroxylase inhibitor synthesised in the ICR’s Centre for Cancer Therapeutics, have clearly demonstrated efficacy for this agent in patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer. Phase III trials in this disease are planned for early 2008
Following a competitive bid, the Royal Marsden Hospital and The Institute of Cancer Research has become the National Institute for Health Research’s Biomedical Research Centre for Cancer