Newsletter No. 210

CUHK Newsletter No. 210 4th November 2002 3 Os teoporos is Care Promoted The International Osteoporosis Foundation celebrated World Osteoporosis Day on 20th October. On that day, a health exhibition on osteoporosis was held at the School of Public Health in the Prince of Wales Hospital. The anniversary celebration of the Jockey Club Centre for Osteoporosis Care and Control and the launch of a mobile van service for osteoporosis care and control also took place in the same venue. Officiating at the opening ceremony were Prof. Ambrose King, vice-chancellor of the University, and Dr. C.H. Leong, chairman of the Hospital Authority. At the ceremony, Prof. Edith Lau and Prof. P.C. Leung, both directors of the Jockey Club Centre for Osteoporosis Care and Control, reported on the activities of the centre in the past year and presented the latest research findings in osteoporosis. The mobile van will provide on-site screening and caring service to members of the public. Service t o t he Commu n i ty and International Organizations • Prof. Liu Pak Wai, pro-vice-chancellor, has been appointed by the Chief Executive of the HKSAR to the Panel of Arbitrators under section 12(3) of the Labour Relations Ordinance (Cap. 55) for three years from 1st October 2002. • Prof. Leung Ping Chung, professor of orthopaedics and traumatology, has been appointed by the Chief Executive of the HKSAR as a member of the Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong for three years from 13th September 2002. • Prof. Ching Pak Chung, professor of electronic engineering, has been appointed by the Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology as the chairman of the Accreditation Advisory Board on an ad personam basis for two years from 1st November 2002. • Prof. Leo Lau, professor of physics, has been appointed by the Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology as a member of the Accreditation Advisory Board on an adpersonam basis for two years from 1st November 2002. • Prof. Che Chun Tao, director of the School of Chinese Medicine, has been appointed by the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works as a member of the Endangered Species Advisory Committee for two years from 1st October 2002. • Prof. Shaw Pang Chui, professor in the Department of Biochemistry, has been appointed by the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works as a member of the Endangered Species Advisory Committee for two years from 1st October 2002. • Prof. Lee Kwing Chin Kenneth, professor in the School of Pharmacy, has been appointed by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food as a member of the Chinese Medicines Board for three years from 13th September 2002. • Dr. Lau Tak Fai Joseph, director of the Centre for Clinical Trials and Epidemiological Research, has been appointed as a member of the Review Panel of the Chinese Journal of Evidence-based Medicine. • Prof. Chan Wing Wah, professor of music, represented Hong Kong at the General Assembly of the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers in London from 22nd to 26th September 2002, where he was elected as amember of the Administrative Council. Prof. Chan was also commissioned to compose a piece to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra; the piece, Moon Over Bounteous Land, was performed on 20th and 21st September 2002 at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Prof. Chan has also been re-elected as the chairman of the Hong Kong Composers' Guild for two years from 1st September 2002. Corrigendum • In the 4th October issue, the academic title for Prof. Chan Yan Keung, Thomas should be 'professor in the Division of Clinical Pharmacology of the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics'. (Information in this section isprovided by the Information and Public Relations Office.Contributionsshould be sent direct to that officefor registration and verification before publication.) New Department Heads Series New Chair of the Depar tment of Clinical Oncology Strives to Combat Cancer on Al l Fronts As the new chairman of the Department of Clinical Oncology, Prof. Anthony Chan believes his i n i t i al role is to ensure the continuation of the department's excellent work. This is not as simple an undertaking as it sounds as the department is one of the most active cancer research units in Asia, a centre which also treats approximately 4,000 new cancer patients each year. The task is made the more d i f f i cu lt w i t h the increased incidence of cancer i n Hong Kong and increased sophistication i n treatment methods. The department specializes i n cancers that are most prevalent i n the territory, including cancers of the liver, nasopharnyx, breast, lung, and colon. Among its staff are authorities on liver cancer and n a s o p h a r y n g e al cancer (Pr o f. Chan 's o w n specialty), and active members of international research groups on other cancers. They collaborate w i t h colleagues i n other departments in the Faculty of Medicine to offer an integrated, system-based medical education to undergraduate students of the University. Likewise, they offer a comprehensive and integrated service involving medical onco l ogy, r ad i o t he r ap y, surgery, r ad i o l og y, pathology, medical physics, and palliative care to cancer patients. 'We take a holistic approach to treating cancer patients because cancer is a disease that involves all organs and systems,' Prof. Chan explains. Cancer's complexity is also why the department works very closely w i th other medical departments i n research. One of the department's strengths is its competence i n bo th basic and clinical research. 'Scientists and clinicians work closely together in our department and the integration of the two streams is getting better and better,' says Prof. Chan. Over 60 trials have been successfully completed to date, w i th about 30 studies ongoing. Pivotal clinical trials i n nasopharyngeal carcinoma and hepatocellular (liver) carcinoma have made significant international impact in the management of these diseases. A t the same time, the department's laboratories at the Sir Y.K. Pao Centre for Cancer has been supporting basic science research related to t umo ur markers, molecular genetics, immuno l ogy and molecular virology, w i t h publications appearing consistently i n top-tier journals. The depa r tment also runs a translational research programme in the Comprehensive Cancer Trials Unit (CCTU) that was restructured from the former Centre for Trials, D r ug Development and Novel Therapeutics in 2001. Translational research, an area wh i ch is gaining increasing importance in medicine, helps bring basic medical research closer to commercially-ready technology for the benefit of patients and the public at large. It coordinates basic research w i t h clinical investigations, leading to qu i ck t r an s l a t i on of n ew discoveries i n to i mp r o v ed patient care, and reduced incidence, morbidity, and mortality. The wo rk of the CCTU includes evaluating treatments, keeping data files of all patients entered into clinical research, and ensuring protocol compliance w i t h international standards of good practice. 'The CCTU has very dedicated staff f r om both The Chinese University and the Hospital Authority. Currently translational research is focused ma i n ly on liver cancer and nasopharyngeal cancer, and is being extended to other kinds of cancer,' says Prof. Chan. Funding is crucial to cancer research and the department has so far been faring well in attracting sponso r sh i p. ' The b i o t e c h n o l o gy and pharmaceutical i ndus t r i es are ve ry s uppo r t i ve of oncology research. This puts us i n a favourable position. We have also done we ll i n competitive grants from the RGC and charitable organizations,' remarks Prof. Chan. A Cancer Patient Resource Centre w i ll be opened at the end of this year w i th a generous donation f r om the Hong Kong Cancer Fund. The centre w i l l be regarded as the state-of- the-art cancer resource centre i n the region. Prof. Chan hopes that it w i ll help to bring the psychosocial aspects of the disease to the public's awareness. ' Our department is very privileged i n terms of enjoying the staunch support of all streams of the faculty,' says Prof. Chan. The department's multi-disciplinary approach to the treatment of cancer, he adds, is something very close to his heart. 'In the last 10 years,' he said, ' we have all given up some independence to wo r k together for the benefit of cancer patients. I w i l l wo rk very ha rd to further develop this model of care that is the goal for a cancer centre anywhere i n the w o r l d . ' Piera Chen