Early cancer detection research has received a major boost at University Health Network (UHN) following an unprecedented donation announced Wednesday by The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation.
The $50 million gift, donated by the Peter Gilgan Foundation, will establish the Peter Gilgan Centre for Early Cancer Detection Research at
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto.
It will be the largest research program of its kind globally, and the gift marks the largest single donation to early cancer detection research in North America.
"Today marks an important moment for Ontario and for Canada — a moment that reflects our shared commitment to scientific excellence, to patient care and to shaping the future of cancer research," said Dr. Kevin Smith, President and CEO of UHN.
Through research, the Peter Gilgan Centre for Early Cancer Detection Research will drive innovative discoveries in understanding early-stage cancer and develop technologies to detect it sooner.
Cancer is the leading cause of death for Canadians. More than half of cancer diagnoses occur at advanced stages of the disease, making treatment more difficult. By diagnosing cancer earlier, patients can access treatment sooner, potentially leading to better outcomes.
Peter Gilgan, Founder and CEO of Mattamy Asset Management, says his family's own experiences with cancer inspired him to invest in the groundbreaking program.
"I am compelled to make this significant gift to establish a centre of this kind, one that will strengthen our country's research and catalyze better outcomes that will create a lasting impact on patients here in Canada and around the world," Gilgan said in a press release.
Focus on understanding disease progression, developing new tech
Early cancer detection holds unfulfilled potential for better patient outcomes, says Dr. Miyo Yamashita, President and CEO of
The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation.
"Established methods to screen for cancer or detect cancer signals in the blood for the general population are neither cost-efficient or practical," she said.
The Peter Gilgan Centre for Early Cancer Detection Research aims to change that. UHN's world-leading scientists, who bring diverse expertise in tackling the challenge of early-stage cancer diagnosis, will focus their work on three pillars.
First is understanding how cancer begins and develops to create new methods for detecting the disease.
That will open doors to novel technologies that not only benefit cancer patients, but those who may be at risk of developing cancer.
The Peter Gilgan Centre for Early Cancer Detection Research will create a world leading program to develop pathways for new discoveries in early detection to be studied, trialled and implemented. It will also establish an ambitious Molecular Residual Disease (MRD) program.
Patients with MRD, the earliest signs of cancer progression after treatment, currently have the lowest survival rates due to aggressive biology and treatment resistance.
Investing in research to understand disease progression, and the development and implementation of new technologies, will help close critical gaps in cancer care, says Dr. Keith Stewart, Vice President, Cancer at University Health Network, and Director of Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.
"This feedback loop ensures continuous innovation in the mission to intercept cancer early, extend survival and, ultimately, increase the number of patients who can be cured," he said.
Read more about early cancer detection and prevention:
Funding research to improve patient outcomes
The gift comes at a time when progress in health care is at risk due to cuts in funding, says Yamashita.
By establishing the Peter Gilgan Centre for Early Cancer Detection Research, UHN's Princess Margaret Cancer Centre continues to put patients first and invest in solutions that go beyond boundaries.
"Generosity of this magnitude is transformative," said Yamashita.
"We are incredibly grateful to Peter Gilgan and the Peter Gilgan Foundation for their visionary and philanthropic leadership, sharing our conviction that early detection research will help get closer to a world free from the fear of cancer."
