Cancer breakthrough at Tallaght Hospital

RESEARCHERS at Tallaght Hospital have discovered that a breakthrough drug, named Rucaparib, which is effective in the treatment of certain prostate cancers.

The hospital took part in a clinical trial of the new drug starting in 2017, which trial focused on patients with prostate cancer which had spread over time, testing how they responded to Rucaparib in place of other more commonly known treatments.

“Medical researchers at Tallaght University Hospital

(TUH) have taken part in a ground-breaking Clinical Trial which has discovered that the drug Rucaparib is successful in the treatment of certain prostate cancers. The trial which began in TUH in 2017, was called TRITON 3,” a statement from the hospital read.

“The purpose of the study was to determine how patients with prostate cancer (which had spread) responded to treatment with the drug Rucaparib versus treatment with other drugs (such as Abiraterone Acetate, Enzalutamide or Docetaxel).”

Meanwhile, Ashley Bazin, who is Team Leader on the Oncology & Haematology Clinical Trials at Tallaght Hospital has won the Irish Cancer Society Support Staff of the Year Award for 2023, in recognition of her contribution to driving forward Clinical Trials in TUH.

Ashley is an experienced research nurse and has been the Team Leader of the Oncology and Haematology Clinical Trials Unit at Tallaght University Hospital for over 16 years.

Ashley says her main focus is “on ensuring patients have access to the best treatment options as well as engaging with Cancer Trials Ireland and pharmaceutical companies to bring promising new treatments to patients.”

Colleagues say Ashley is integral to the operation of the unit and plays multiple roles, research nurse, team leader, manager and teacher, while being a strong advocate for the patients taking part in the trials. She was nominated by Cancer Trials Ireland and is the first time their nominee has become the overall winner.