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Cancer Breakthroughs

Princess Margaret scientists Till and McCulloch’s discovery of the stem cell in 1963 was a revolutionary moment in cancer research and care. The cell’s ability to renew and repair tissues in the human body laid the foundations for regenerative medicine around the world.

Dr. Tak Mak cloned the T-Cell Receptor in 1983, a discovery that paved the way for more effective and less toxic cancer treatments through immunotherapy.

In 2018, Drs. Daniel De Carvalho and Scott Bratman developed a simple blood test to detect different kinds of cancer and their location in the body, potentially diminishing the need for biopsies and allowing doctors to detect cancer earlier, when it's more curable.

Drs. Aaron Schimmer and Li Zhang discovered a combination of two drugs that help the immune system target leukemia. This treatment can help older patients who are not typically candidates for conventional treatments.

In 2021, Dr. Catherine O’Brien discovered that cancer cells can hibernate like bears to survive chemotherapy and other anti-cancer drugs. This important finding is helping researchers discover new treatments that prevent cancer cells from surviving chemo and causing a relapse.

Drs. Farshad Nassiri and Gelareh Zadeh published results of a clinical trial showing a new treatment for recurrent glioblastoma, a challenging cancer, is well tolerated and extends patients’ lives.

Dr. Rama Khokha is studying breast cancer stem cells and tissues in high-risk patients to help improve prevention for patients worldwide.

Dr. Naoto Hirano has pioneered novel approaches to improve the effectiveness of immunotherapy and make it available to a wider range of patients. His new (CAR) T-cell approach is currently in clinical trials. 

A new Cancer Digital Intelligence Program is transforming patient care. This program led to the design of a digital remote patient monitoring program that allows for access to care anywhere. It has also led to the development of a new computational model that matches patients to their best suited clinical trial.

We test more new therapies to benefit cancer patients around the world. 

In 1950, Dr. Vera Peters discovered Hodgkin lymphoma could be cured with extended field radiation.

In 2005, Dr. Norman Boyd found that breast density is a major risk factor for breast cancer — a connection that had never been made before.

In 2014, Dr. John Dick discovered some patients are pre-disposed to leukemia and cardiovascular diseases, helping to identify patients at risk of cancer and heart disease before patients even show symptoms of these illnesses. 

Dr. Donna Reece and her team have helped to develop not one, but seven, new drug treatments for multiple myeloma, conducting trials which have helped triple survival rates in the past 15 years. 

Medical physicist Dr. Tom Purdie and his colleagues were the first in the world to harness artificial intelligence to improve radiation cancer therapy treatment planning, improving accuracy and outcomes for patients.

Which patients will respond to cancer treatment has long perplexed doctors, and with potentially devastating consequences for patients and their loved ones. Drs. Lillian Siu, Scott Bratman, and Trevor Pugh have demonstrated the ability of early "liquid biopsy" DNA blood testing to predict immunotherapy response across many cancer types.

Clinical trials on molecular targeted treatments for lung cancer conducted by Dr. Frances Shepherd have transformed care standards globally – not once, but multiple times – and have improved survival rates for lung cancer patients around the world.

We worked with colleagues across Canada to conduct clinical trials which showed, for the first time, that the use of anti-estrogen hormonals, taken orally, could dramatically reduce the development or recurrence of certain breast cancers.

In 2014, Dr. Gang Zheng developed unique nanotechnology to make tumours glow, giving patients the potential to receive information in real-time on how their cancer is responding to treatment.

In 2014, Drs. Marc de Perrot and John Cho discovered that radiation therapy prior to surgery doubled survival rates for patients with mesothelioma.

Dr. Hans Messner performed the first allogenic bone marrow transplant between unrelated donors in 1976.

We have performed over 3,000 stem cell transplants through the Hans Messner Allogenic Stem Cell Transplant program — the largest of its kind in Canada.

We are training the next generation of global cancer leaders. Partnering with 500 leading cancer institutes in 107 countries, we are one of the world’s largest hubs of cancer knowledge and talent.

We pioneered an approach to ease the psychological stress and anxiety faced by cancer patients and their caregivers, and have since trained cancer leaders in over 20 countries on how to adopt it.