News and Announcements

VANCOUVER, B.C. – A new study co-led by BC Cancer researchers has found that the use of Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy (SABR) technology may improve survival rates for patients with limited metastatic cancer. These findings are the result of the world’s first randomized clinical trial of SABR as it relates to cancer that has already spread to other parts of the body. The study, led at BC...

VANCOUVER, B.C. - Jesse Kaltio was 22 years old when he was working at an elementary school in Carrot River, Saskatchewan, feeling as though he needed antibiotics for what he thought were swollen lymph nodes that just wouldn’t go away. He was shocked when a doctor asked him to look in a mirror and lift up his chin and pointed to a large lump that went up and down as he swallowed. That mass turned...

Dr. Marco Marra has received the Don Rix Award for Lifetime Achievement by Life Sciences BC for his significant contributions to the field of genomics. In the pursuit of amazing science, Dr. Marra, director & distinguished scientist, Genome Sciences Centre, BC Cancer, has contributed to uncovering some of life’s most fundamental mysteries. Dr. Marco Marra As co-leader of BC Cancer’s...

There’s a growing belief that a blood test could act as a crystal ball in predicting a person’s necessity, response, and ultimate outcome to cancer treatment. According to BC Cancer researchers, blood can contain tiny fragments of DNA from an individual’s cancer and those fragments provide incredible insight into the patient’s journey. Imagine a simple blood test guiding your treatment: pointing...

Vancouver, B.C. –Today is International Women’s Day. Across the province, female researchers and doctors at BC Cancer are changing the outcome for people impacted by cancer in British Columbia. With an abundance of talented females at the forefront of their fields, these women are breaking barriers in science and medicine and continuing to advance research breakthroughs that have an immense...

Vancouver, B.C. – Cheers to nearly 230 booze losers across the province who gave up alcohol throughout February and raised an amazing $70,000 for innovative cancer research and care at BC Cancer. Lose the Booze participants pushed alcohol aside for 28 days, skipped happy hours and traded their merlot for mocktails in an effort to change the story for British Columbians facing a cancer diagnosis...

VANCOUVER, B.C. - Donald and Julia Leung moved to Canada in the 1970s in pursuit of the Canadian dream. Never in their wildest dreams did they expect to give back to the community with a gift of $1.5 million to propel lung cancer research and equipment needs at BC Cancer. Working odd labourer jobs throughout the 1970s, Donald was a motivated young man willing to endure whatever it took to provide...

VANCOUVER, B.C. - On February 4 th , World Cancer Day, BC Cancer will spark a call to action to British Columbians to make cancer a priority by supporting research, care and infrastructure. Last year more than 27,000 British Columbians were diagnosed with cancer. In 15 years, that number will increase to over 40,000. Cancer will impact every family as the ‘1 in 2 Canadians are now expected to...

VICTORIA, B.C. – The BC Cancer Foundation’s 12th annual Jingle Mingle, presented by Thrifty Foods, has raised an incredible $754,000 to underpin critical research on the island in one of the world’s most promising areas of oncology: immunotherapy. Fueled by 350 generous Jingle Mingle guests, the gift of advanced cancer care on Vancouver Island is on its way to patients. Funds will directly...

VANCOUVER, B.C. - Twenty years in the making, a gene mutation in a rare pediatric cancer – discovered by Dr. Poul Sorensen’s lab in 1998 – snowballed into a new drug that has just been approved and targets at least 22 types of cancer. The discovery made two decades ago was driven by Dr. Sorensen’s work to distinguish congenital fibrosarcoma, a rare and deadly type of connective tissue tumour in...