More than 100 patients at Wollongong Hospital got access to cutting edge clinical trials last year and more than 23 different types of cancer are being treated under 75 active local trials.
The hospital's cancer research unit, which is conducting 10 times more trials now than it was eight years ago, was celebrated at the NSW Premier's Awards for Outstanding Cancer Research.
The hospital received the award for Outstanding Cancer Clinical Trials Unit for its work, which includes a world-first clinical trial for adults with the blood cancer, multiple myeloma.
In June, a patient at Wollongong became the first person in the world to receive a new immunotherapy drug to treat the condition, with a a research team at the hospital investigating a new treatment for patient's whose cancer has returned.
Some of the other milestones the Wollongong clinical trials unit include the expansion of a self-funded trials unit under the guidance of an experienced Cancer Clinical Trials Manager and employment of 26 staff in the unit who have come from science, physics, nursing, pathology and business backgrounds.
It provided access to trial treatments for more than 100 patients in 2022 alone and has developed links with pharmaceutical and academic partners.
The centre has also initiated trials in rural areas, like Milton and the Shoalhaven, with 10 active trials helping reduce disparity people in country areas face in having access to cutting edge medione..
Minister for Health Ryan Park helped hand out the awards in Sydney, saying cancer was an issue for everyone.
"Cancer touches all of us, with one person in NSW diagnosed with cancer every 10 minutes," he said.
"Helping more people survive cancer is impossible without the passion, dedication and commitment of people like the ones I met from Wollongong Hospital this morning, and I'd like to thank every person working behind the scenes to reduce the impact of cancer."
Wollongong MP Paul Scully said the cancer trials unit showed how the city remained a centre of innovation.
"Wollongong is continuing to grow as the city of innovation and scientific endeavour and I am so proud that our community is home to a world leader in cancer research," he said.
"I want to congratulate the remarkable achievements of Wollongong Hospital in its work to provide better health outcomes around the world."
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Kate McIlwain
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
