From Monday, 30 April 2007 a new law
willbe introduced to give everyone in
Northern Ireland space to breathe.

goes
smoke-free

&

ayst0 99

www.spacetobreathe.co.uk

Northern Ireland Carves Out
a Space to Breathe

“Monday 30 April 2007 will be a landmark day for Northern Ireland,” Paul
Goggins, Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety in Northern
Ireland, concluded in his announcement on the legislation to protect workers
and the public from exposure to tobacco smoke. The Smoking (Northern
Ireland) Order 2006 (the Order) completed its Parliamentary process on 14
November 2006 and, from 30 April, most enclosed and substantially enclosed
public places and workplaces in Northern Ireland, including work vehicles and
public transport, will become smoke-free.

The Department of Health, Social Services, and Public Safety (DHSSPS)
carried out a major public consultation exercise from December 2004 to
March 2005. The exercise yielded more than 70,000 responses to questions
about strengthening existing controls on tobacco use in Northern Ireland with
91% of respondents expressing support for similar controls to those in place in
Ireland. Two further consultation exercises on draft regulations underpinning
the Order were carried out in 2006, before the Order became law.

On 8 January 2007, Mr. Goggins launched a public awareness campaign —
“Space to Breathe.” Developed by the Health Promotion Agency on behalf of
the DHSSPS, the campaign includes radio and television advertisements, a
promotional pamphlet, and a one-stop website (www.spacetobreathe.co.uk) for
guidance on the new legislation, smoking cessation, related research and facts,
the effects of second-hand smoke, and public attitudes toward smoking.
Businesses will receive sample copies of the required “no smoking” signs.
District councils will be charged with enforcement of the new legislation.

The 29 March 2004 ban on smoking in all workplaces and enclosed public
places in Ireland has led to significant health improvements there. Studies
conducted have shown that the ban in Ireland has led to dramatic declines in
reported smoking in all venues, including workplaces (62% to 14%),
restaurants (85% to 3%), and bars/pubs (98% to 5%)*. It is anticipated that,
in time, controls on smoking in Northern Ireland will deliver the same
benefits.

* Fong, GT; Hyland A, Barland R, et al. Reductions in tobacco smoke pollution and increases in
support for smoke-free public places following the implementation of comprehensive smoke-free
workplace legislation in the Republic of Ireland: findings from the ITC Ireland/UK survey.
Tobacco Control 2005;000: 108.

5 SPRING 2007

NCI Summer Curriculum
in Prevention
Rated High
by Alumni

The Research & Development Office
(Northern Ireland) commissioned an
alumni evaluation survey of the NCI
Summer Cancer Prevention courses,
which includes two separate courses: the
four-week Principles and Practice of
Cancer Prevention and Control course,
and the one-week Molecular Prevention
course. Questionnaires were distributed
to eighty Irish alumni; completed
questionnaires were returned by thirty-
four (43% response rate) respondents,
which included public health doctors,
hospital doctors, nurses, and health service
managers, representing basic science,
clinical research, and health/social care
services interest areas.

Overall, responses were overwhelmingly
positive about the quality and added value
of both NCI courses. In response to a
question about follow-on collaborations
resulting directly from participation in the
NCI Summer Prevention Curriculum,
38% of the respondents noted that they
have become involved in collaborative
projects as a result of their participation in
the course(s). Specific collaborations
include an all Ireland case control study of
esophageal cancer and studies on Barrett's
esophagus.

Two recommendations based on specific
feedback are: (1) The NCI Summer
Cancer Prevention Courses should
continue to be offered through the
Consortium and cancer researchers from
the island of Ireland should be encouraged
to apply. (2) The R&D Office and the
Health Research Board should consider
follow-up initiatives to facilitate
collaborations amongst alumni.


Farewell Acknowledgements
to Working Group Chairs

On 31 May, Dr. Ruth Barrington will leave her post as Health
Research Board Chief Executive Officer. As chair of the
Consortium Clinical Trials Working Group, Dr. Barrington has
been instrumental in coalescing efforts to strengthen island cancer
center capacity to conduct cancer clinical trials and thus improve
patient access to new therapies. She has channeled her time,
energy, and influence into building and advocating for
Consortium-led programs, notably several scholar exchange
programs including the Joint Fellowships in Cancer Research. Dr.
Barrington was also instrumental in the formation of an all-Ireland
cooperative group to promote the development and expansion of
island clinical trials centers and to coordinate joint clinical trials.

Dr. Doug Weed, Prevention Working Group chair, left his position
as Chief, Office of Preventive Oncology and Dean of Education
and Training in the Division of Cancer Prevention at the NCI in
March to accept a position as Vice President for Epidemiology at
the Weinberg Group, a Washington DC-based scientific consulting
firm. As director of the Cancer Prevention Fellowship Program
and the Summer Curriculum in Cancer Prevention, he was a
dedicated advocate for island scholar participation in both
programs. Dr. Weed has been an active promoter of joint
prevention-based efforts on the island, including workshops on
obesity and smoking cessation.

The Board of Directors and Strategic Advisory Group commend
them for their many years of service and leadership and wish them
every success in the years to come.

All Ireland Cancer Foundation
Launched in November 2006

The All Ireland Cancer Foundation (AICF), an independent non-
profit charity registered in the U.S., Ireland, and Northern Ireland,
was launched by Dr. Etta Campbell during the 3rd All-Ireland
Cancer Conference 2006. AICF aims to bring together leaders
from the business community and statutory/voluntary health
agencies in Northern Ireland and Ireland to advance and improve
the prevention and treatment of cancer. Rooted in the idea that
solving the challenge of cancer is too large for governments alone,
the AICF’s primary goal is to save lives by harnessing the drive and
energy of the private sector together with leading clinicians to
promote excellence in cancer prevention and treatment.

For more information, contact Dr. Campbell at
henrietta.campbell@publichealth.ie.

4 SPRING 2007

Consortium Leadership
Board of Directors

Dr. Michael McBride (Chair 2007)
Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Belfast

Dr. James Kiely
Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health and Children, Dublin

Dr. John Niederhuber
Director, NCI, Bethesda

Strategic Advisory Group

REPRESENTATIVES OF PARTICIPATING JURISDICTIONS

Dr. Joe Harford (Chair)
Director, Office of International Affairs, NCI, Bethesda

Dr. Ruth Barrington
Chief Executive, Health Research Board, Dublin

Professor Robert Stout
Director, Research & Development for the Northern ireland Health & Personal Social
Services, Belfast

WORKING GROUP CHAIRS.

Cancer Registries
Dr. Anna Gavin
Director, Norther Ireland Cancer Registry, Belfast

Clinical Trials
Dr. Ruth Barrington
Chief Executive, Health Research Board, Dublin

Information Technology

Professor Donal Hollywood

Professor of Clinical Oncology, Head of the Academic Unit of Clinical and Molecular
Oncology, Tinity College Dublin, Dublin

Nursing
Mr. Martin Bradley
Chief Nursing Officer, Department of Health, Social Services, and Public Safety, Belfast

Prevention
Vacant

Scholar Exchange

Professor Paddy Johnston

Director, Centre for Cancer Research & Cell Biology, Queen’s University Belfast,
Belfast City Hospital, Belfast

OTHER STRATEGIC ADVISORY GROUP MEMBERS

Dr. Oscar Breathnach
Consultant Medical Oncologist, Cancer Centre, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin

Professor Charles Campbell
Professor of Surgery, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast

Professor Peter A. Hall
‘Musgrave Professor of Pathology, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast

Dr. Lee J. Helman
Scientific Director for Clinical Research, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, Bethesda

Dr. Mary Hynes
Assistant Director, National Hospitals Office, Health Service Executive, Merlin Park
Regional Hospital, Galway

Professor Richard Kaplan
Associate Director, National Cancer Research Network (UK), Leeds and London

Professor Elaine Kay
Consultant Histopathologist, Beaumont Hospital, The Royal College of Surgeons in
Ireland, Dublin

Professor Mark Lawler

Associate Professor of Experimental Hematology, Department of Hematology and
Institute for Molecular Medicine, St, James's Hospital and Trinity College Dublin; Chief
‘Molecular Geneticist and Director, Cancer Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory, t. James's
Hospital, Dublin


Dr. Etta Campbell Reflects on Consortium Involvement

Last year I stepped aside from my role as Chief Medical Officer for Northern
Ireland. With much reluctance on my part, this also required me to relinquish
my seat on the Board of the Consortium. Looking back over my career to
date, I regard the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, which led to
the establishment of the Consortium, as one of the most significant events.
Over recent years I have had considerable pleasure and satisfaction witnessing
the significant impact the Consortium has been making across the island of
Ireland. Aside from the obvious scientific and clinical benefits, there have
been other gains — the most lasting of which is the cadre of young
professionals who have taken part in the wealth of training opportunities,
providing us with a new generation of highly skilled, well-motivated
researchers. The future of cancer research across Ireland has been given a

firm foundation.

From a personal viewpoint, my involvement in the Consortium has brought
me much enjoyment. It has been a great privilege to work with my fellow
Board members and to have the opportunity to visit the NCI on a number of
occasions. Of special importance has been the opportunity to forge close
friendships, which I hope will last a lifetime.

Announcements

= The official opening of the new regional Cancer Centre at Belfast City
Hospital (BCH) occurred on 22 March 2007. The Duke and Duchess of
Abercorn were present to officially open the new Cancer Centre.

= Amanda Black and Brid Ryan were accepted to the three-year NCI
Cancer Prevention Fellowship Program in 2006. Year 1 of their fellowships
is being spent at University College Dublin in the MPH program; years 2
and 3 will be spent at the NCI.

= The official opening of the new Centre for Cancer Research & Cell Biology
(CCRCB) and a concurrent Scientific Symposium is slated for 28-29
November 2007.

= The two island cancer control documents — Regional Cancer Framework: A
Cancer Control Plan for Northern Ireland and Strategy for Cancer Control in
Ireland — are available in pdf format in the Publications section of the
Consortium Website at www.allirelandnci.org/publications/index.shtml.

What's Neat

= The Consortium will host a health economics workshop for Irish and
Northern Irish delegates on 21-22 May 2007 at the NCI in Bethesda,
Maryland. For information, contact the Consortium Help Desk.

= The 2007 NCI Summer Curriculum in Cancer Prevention Principles and
Practice of Cancer Prevention and Control Course will be held 2-27 July
and the Molecular Prevention Course will be held 30 July - 3 August.

6 SPRING 2007

IRELAND-NORTHERN

IRELAND-NATIONAL CANCER

INSTITUTE

Consantium

Institute Cancer Consortium.

Distributed in Ireland, Northern

Ireland, and the United States.

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NIH Publication No. 07-6210



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Inside this Issue:

Br AIC selon sieeatea te
Prevention Fellows in U.S. . .2

CT E-Learning Module

NCI CT Nurses Training .. 3

JREC Fellows Update .....3
Farewells aA
All Ireland Cancer

Foundation .........6++4 4
Consortium Leadership . .. 4

NI Smoking Ban Update .. .5

NCI Summer Curriculum
HevalatiOri eeeteeiey avi 5

Reflections by Etta

Campbell .... 602s 0eeeee 6
Announcements ......... 6
WHat SENN Ener mntrionsc cit 6

The Consortium welcomes your
comments and suggestions.

Please direct all communications
to the Consortium at:

E-MAIL
consortium@cancer.gov

ADDRESS

Ireland-Northern Ireland-NCI
Cancer Consortium

6130 Executive Blvd.

Suite 100

Bethesda, MD 20892

SPRING 2007

A PERIODIC UPDATE OF PROGRESS AND EVENTS

Renewed Memorandum of Understanding
Continues Consortium Momentum

n 13 November, Dr. John Niederhuber,

Director of the U.S. National Cancer

Institute, participated in the signing
ceremony for the renewal of the Consortium’s
Memorandum of Understanding. The MOU was
signed by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human
Services Michael Leavitt, Paul Goggins, Minister
for Health, Social Services and Public Safety in

Northern Ireland, and Mary Harney T:D., Minister
for Health and Children of Ireland. The ceremony
took place at Belfast’s Waterfront Hall in conjunction
with the 3rd All-Ireland-NCI Cancer Conference.

Dr. John Niederhuber, NCI Director, with Paul
Goggins, Minister for Health, Social Services and
Public Safety in Northern Ireland, and Mary Harney
TD, Minister for Health and Children of Ireland, at
the signing of the 2006 MOU

Seven years ago, Belfast was the site of the signing of the original MOU that formed this highly
successful cancer consortium. A driving force in the quest to reduce the burden of cancer on the
island, the Consortium has led joint efforts that include the promotion of advanced education
and training for cancer researchers and oncology nurses; greater opportunities for patients to
enroll in island-wide clinical trials; increased awareness of the importance of cancer prevention
and epidemiological cooperation between the two island cancer registries, and augmentation of
the medical infrastructure on the island. These activities will continue along with some new
activities addressed under the new MOU (e.g., cancer policy and health economics).

A dedicated cadre of Consortium participants has become a valuable resource for the island of
Ireland. Over the past seven years, the Consortium has facilitated the participation of 167 island
scholars in the NCI Summer Curriculum in Cancer Prevention and of sixteen nurses in NCI
Clinical Trials Nurses training. The Consortium, through the Health Research Board (I) and the
Research and Development Office (ND), has also facilitated the award of ten Epidemiology
Fellowships, Cancer Prevention Fellowships, and Joint Research Fellowships in Cancer

The Consortium’s value, however, extends well beyond the success it has experienced in its short
existence and its impact on patient care. It serves as a model for countries that are committed to
more aggressively addressing the public health burden of cancer. As the Consortium moves
forward under the new MOU, it is the expectation of all of the parties that the synergy observed
in the first seven years will continue and that the ultimate result will be a reduction of the burden
of cancer for all of our peoples.


AICC Chair Dr. Anna Gavin pictured

3rd All-lreland-NCI Cancer
Conference A Huge Success

The efforts of an able organizing committee led by Dr, Anna Gavin and a scientific
program committee led by Professor Paddy Johnston coalesced to create a stimulating 3rd
All-Ireland-NCI Cancer Conference at Waterfront Hall in Belfast from 12-16 November
2006. The conference celebrated seven successful years of collaboration on cancer research

with Dr. Michael McBride, Chief
Medical Officer of Northern Ireland; Dr.
Harry Comber, Director, National
Cancer Registry Ireland; and Dr. Doug
Weed, Chief, Office of Preventive
Oncology, NCI
hear cancer experts from

Dr. Etta Campbell accepting an NCI
award at the 3rd AICC with Dr. Jim
Kiely and Dr. John Niederhuber

and care initiatives on the island of Ireland, which has led to notable benefits for island
cancer researchers and health professionals as well as the island population.

The three-day 3rd All-Ireland-NCI Cancer Conference offered attendees opportunities to

the NCI, Ireland, and Northern Ireland speak about the latest

medical advances in cancer research, treatment, and care. Speakers included NCI Director
Dr. John Niederhuber, Professor Paddy Johnston, and Professor Donal Hollywood.

Besides offering multi-disciplinary educational sessions that included keynote lectures by
renowned experts and panel discussions, the conference showcased the 13 November
signing of the renewed Memorandum of Understanding that continues the Consortium at
least until 2011 (see details on page 1).

Dr. Etta Campbell, former Chief Medical Officer of Northern Ireland and founder and
director of the All Ireland Cancer Foundation, was presented with an NCI award for her

dedicated efforts in reducing the burden of cancer on the island of Ireland and globally.

Additional conference information is online at www.aicc2006.co.uk.

Latest NCI Cancer Prevention Fellows Begin Research in the U.S.

After completing their Masters degree program in Ireland and

Northern Ireland, 2005-2008 NCI Cancer Prevention fellows

Drs. Lesley Anderson, Sharon Glynn, and Gwen Murphy have
begun their two years of prevention-based research at the NCI,
Bethesda, Maryland.

Working with Dr. Eric Engels and Branch Chief Dr. Jim
Goedert in the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics
at the NCI Viral Epidemiology Branch, Dr. Anderson is
involved in research projects investigating the etiology of non-
Hodgkins Lymphoma, other hematopoietic malignancies, and
classic Kaposi sarcoma.

Dr. Glynn is working in the Laboratory of Carcinogenesis at

the NCI’s Center for Cancer Research with Dr. Stefan Ambs
on research that involves use of molecular epidemiology to

2

identify factors that promote breast cancer progression, with
emphasis on estrogen receptor biology, inflammation
pathways, and miRNAs.

To develop her skills as a true translational scientist, Dr.
Murphy is working on the Polyp Prevention Trial cohort, a
1991-94 multi-center randomized control trial to evaluate the
effects of a high-fiber, high fruit and vegetable, low-fat diet on
the recurrence of colorectal adenomas, with Dr. Elaine Lanza
in the NCI Center for Cancer Research.

Details for future recruitment of fellows are available on the
NCI’s Website at cancer.gov/prevention/pob.

SPRING 2007


QUB Clinical Trials
E-learning Module Offered

The School of Nursing and Midwifery at Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) has
launched a new e-learning module in clinical trials to help advance the skills of
clinical research practitioners on the island of Ireland. The module, developed
between the School of Nursing and Midwifery and the All-Ireland-NCI Cancer
Consortium Nursing Working Group, is a long-awaited opportunity for many
nurses who are not able to attend the NCI Clinical Trials Training for Nurses
program in the United States. The School of Nursing and Midwifery at QUB
welcomed nineteen participants from Ireland and Northern Ireland in its
inaugural class of 2007.

The module content includes ten subjects: (1) Clinical Trials and Hierarchy of
Evidence; (2) Clinical Trial Design; (3) Quality of Life Assessment and Other
Measures in Clinical Trials; (4) Ethical Issues in Clinical Trials; (5) Consumer
Peispectives;’(6) Research’ Goveinianice;’ (7) How to’ Manage'a Clinical THak (8)
Pharmacotherapeutics; (9) Interpreting Data; and (10) Developing Research
Careers. Nurse registration and/or evidence of diploma level education (or
equivalent) are pre-requisites for enrollment.

In-person attendance of two days is required for this module: one induction
day at QUB and a second session at QUB or a negotiated site in Ireland. Start
date of the module was 29 January 2007 with an end date set for 27 April.

For more information, you may contact Lyn Crawford
(c.a.crawford@qub.ac.uk) or Theresa McNally (theresa.mcnally@qub.ac.uk) or
you can visit the QUB School of Nursing and Midwifery’s Website at
www.qub.ac.uk/schools/SchoolofNursingandMidwifery/.

Island Nurses Complete 5th Round
of NCI Clinical Trials Training

Four island oncology nurses completed the five-week NCI clinical trials
training program in the fall of 2006, bringing the total number of Consortium-
facilitated island trainees to sixteen. Trainees rotated between oncology
inpatient and ambulatory care units at the NIH Clinical Center, and the
medical oncology clinic at the National Naval Medical Center. They were
paired with research nurse preceptors to improve their understanding of clinical
trials management. Professional development activities included team lectures,
nursing grand rounds, continuing education offerings, and research team
meetings. They attended the NIH Ethics Course and spent time with the NIH
library specialist to identify resources for conducting literature searches.
Program coordinators served as mentors to the four island nurses during their
USS. stay. The Consortium plans to continue facilitation of this training
opportunity for island oncology nurses, so please check the Consortium
Website (www.allirelandnci.org) for future calls for applications.

3 SPRING 2007

Recipients of First
Joint Research
Fellowships in Cancer
Begin Research

In association with the National Cancer
Institute, the Health Research Board in
Ireland launched the Joint Research
Fellowships in Cancer (JRFC) program
for post-doctoral researchers from the
USS., Ireland, and Northern Ireland.
Aimed at developing strong relationships
between island and U.S. cancer
researchers, JRFC supports a shared post-
doctoral research fellow working on a
defined research project of mutual interest
over two years. Successful applicants have
the opportunity to train in the research
laboratories of principal investigators in
the U.S. and on the island. Two fellows
were selected for the first Joint Research
Fellowships in Cancer and have begun
their respective research projects.

Dr. Edward Fox is collaborating with
principal investigators Dr. Jacinta
O'Sullivan, Centre for Colorectal Disease,
Education & Research Centre, St.
Vincent’s University Hospital in Dublin,
and Professor Lawrence Leob, Gottestein
Laboratory, University of Washington in
Seattle. Dr. Fox’s research centers on the
frequency of random mutations and
genomic instability events during
colorectal cancer progression.

Dr. Zubair Kabir has embarked on a
research project entitled “Tobacco-related
Health Outcomes and Smoking Policies:
Massachusetts and Ireland,” working with
principal investigators Professor Luke
Clancy, Research Institute for a Tobacco
Free Society in Dublin, and Professor
Gregory N. Connolly, Harvard School of
Public Health in Boston.