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About the Institute

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The Cancer Institute NSW is Australia’s first statewide, government-funded cancer control agency.

We were established in July 2003 through the Cancer Institute (NSW) Act 2003 to lessen the impact of cancer in NSW. We are funded by the NSW State Government and governed by the Cancer Institute NSW Board. We report directly to the Minister for Health and Medical Research the Hon. Jillian Skinner MP. 

Our objectives

Our objectives are to:

  • reduce the incidence of cancer in the community
  • increase the survival rate for cancer patients
  • improve the quality of life of cancer patients and their carers
  • provide a source of expertise on cancer control for the government, health service providers,
    medical researchers and the general community.

Our programs

The Institute has a number of initiatives designed to lessen the burden of cancer on the people of NSW:

  • We give advice and information about preventing cancer; and produce mass media campaigns targeting tobacco smoking, sun exposure, breast and cervical screening and living a healthy lifestyle.
  • We manage BreastScreen NSW and the NSW Cervical Screening Program to promote early detection screening.
  • We fund cancer health care professionals, including nurses, doctors and psychologists and develop programs to evaluate the quality of cancer treatment and care in NSW.
  • We fund researchers in work that can improve cancer outcomes and set new agendas for research priorities.
  • We provide quality, up-to-date information about cancer in NSW to inform future policy and health planning and the general community.
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