日本国立癌症研究中心the Research Institute in the National Cancer Center www.ncc.go.jp
症在日本死亡率排在第一位，而且这个数量还一直在增加。现在人们已经对癌症有了一定的认识，而且在对抗癌症的医疗技术方面也有了很大的发展。
国立癌症中心是日本的癌症对抗核心机构。癌症预防、检验研究中心和医院一体，以癌症的预防、早期发现、早期治疗为目标。1992年在千叶县柏市成立了国立癌症中心东医院，同时原来的医院改为国立癌症中心中央病院，1994年还设立了研究所分所。国立癌症中心成立以来，不仅是日本，也是世界上屈指可数的癌症对抗中心之一。
日本国立癌症研究中心
Mission
The mission of the Research Institute in the National Cancer Center is to advance knowledge in cancer prevention, diagnosis and therapy for cancer control.
Activities include a search for carcinogens and chemopreventive agents using animal models, identification and functinal analysis of cancer-related genes and development of gene diagnosis and therapies. For promotion of cancer research, cutting-edge technologies in genome and proteome analysis are being utilized, and the Research Institute is making major contributions to various aspects of worldwide cancer research.
The Research Institute East, was founded to conduct research directly related to clinical activities in the East Hospital. It is devoting particular attention to developing new methods to improve therapy and QOL with cancers that are presently difficult to cure.
Human Resources
The Research Institute houses 18 divisions/sections, and five projects, as well as the center for medical genomics of the Tsukiji campus, and five divisions/sections at the Kashiwa campus. Approximately 130 staff scientists, 100 research assistants, 90 research residents and other fellows are actively involved along with a number of foreign guest scientists.
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| One of the many experts from various fields at work |
Activities
Research on the causes and prevention of cancer
In Japan, the incidence of stomach cancer is decreasing while those of lung, colorectal and breast cancers are increasing. The Research Institute is clarifying the underlying reasons with reference to changes, for example, in our life-styles and employing this knowledge to cancer prevention. The active search for cancer preventive agents also has the long term aim of introduction into clinical use.
Identification of carcinogenic factors in our environment and their elimination is important in reducing cancers and the Research Institute is internationally renowned for the discovery of heterocyclic amines, food-born carcinogens in cooked food.
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| Mutations of p53 were analyzed by PCR-SSCP, which was developed at Research Institute |
Research on the mechanisms of cancer development
Each cancer mass initially originates from a single cell. Multiple genetic alterations are required for a normal cell to become malignant and show the characteristic selfish growth. Such genetic alterations are known to accumulate in a step-wise manner, so that the concept of "multi-step carcinogenesis" is well established. The Research Institute has made many contributions to the development of this basic theory and found many of the gene alterations that are involved in the development of human cancers. Recently, it has become increasingly clear that not only mutations but also abnormal regulation of genes are important for multi-step carcinogenesis to occur.
Research in cancer diagnosis and therapy
Molecular targets and immune therapies are also focuses of investigation with a view to developing novel approach to cancer control. New tumor markers are similarly viewed as essential for improvement of cancer diagnostics.
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Center for Medical Genomics
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The National Cancer Center is intimately involved in the Millennium Genome Project launched by the Prime Minister.
As part of this effort, single nucleotide polymorphisms, which are related to individual genetic susceptibility, are being assessed and the data obtained should prove to be very useful for early diagnosis and prevention of cancer.
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| The most advanced DNA amplification system (top) and DNA sequencers (right) are extensively used for efficient and productive research. |
DNA chips, which allow analysis of more than 10,000 genes simultaneously, are employed to elucidate cancer variation. With an understanding of differences, the most suitable therapy for a particular cancer can be selected.
We are now aiming to inaugurate tailor-made medicine by fiscal year 2004, and develop epoch-making drugs.
The National Cancer Center, consisting of a research institute, hospital and administration department, was established in 1962 at Tsukiji, Tokyo, by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, as the sole National Government-supported cancer center in Japan. Since its establishment, the research institute at the National Cancer Center has been the nation's leading cancer research institution and also one of the leading cancer research institutes worldwide. In 1993, a wing of the research institute, the National Cancer Center Research Institute East, was opened at Kashiwa, Chiba, on the same grounds as the National Cancer Center Hospital East. The institute has had two basic and unifying purposes since its establishment: to achieve cancer control by close collaboration with hospitals and the government, and to serve as the core institute promoting cancer research in Japan.
The National Cancer Center currently has the role as the core institution to implement the Japanese government's "Comprehensive 10-Year Strategy for Cancer Control," and the third term of this strategic plan began in 2004. The aim of this program is to bring about a substantial decrease in cancer incidence and mortality within a period of ten years. Progress in research, the practice of cancer prevention, screening for cancers, and improvement of medical care throughout the nation are the cornerstones on which the potential success of this program is firmly based. The Research Center for Cancer Prevention and Screening was established in the Tsukiji campus in 2004 and the Research Center for Innovative Oncology was established in 2005 by reorganizing the National Cancer Center Research Institute East, in order to promote the development of novel cancer medicines based on the fundamental and clinical research conducted at the Kashiwa campus; the activities of these new research centers are considered to be indispensable for the success of the Third-Term Comprehensive 10-Year Strategy. Additionally, the Center for Cancer Control and Information Services was established in October 2006 in order to strengthen our extramural activities, including dissemination of accurate information on cancer treatments to patients.
The "Annual Report" of the Research Institute was first published as a joint 1992-1993 report, and has been published annually ever since; the report summarizes the research activities of each division, section and project in order to apprise the international scientific community of the progress made at the institute. From the year 2002, the chapter "Overview of Research Activities," was added, in order to make it easier for the research activities undertaken at our Institute as a whole to be better understood. The present "Annual Report" summarizes our research activities in 2009. The contents of the annual reports and a list of the most recent publications can also be viewed on the National Cancer Center home page (
http://www.ncc.go.jp/en/nccri/index.html). The research topics and activities of each division, section and project are described on the National Cancer Center home page.
I would like to express our sincere appreciation for the support we have received from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan, other governmental organs, including the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and also from private organizations and individuals. I would especially like to acknowledge the important support we have received for our research activities from the Third-Term Comprehensive 10-Year Strategy for Cancer Control and the Grants-in-Aid from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan.
March, 2010
Keiji Wakabayashi
Director, National Cancer Center Research Institute