Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network accelerates precision medicine at The Ottawa Hospital and across the country

The Ottawa Hospital hosted the Honourable Marjorie Michel, Minister of Health, and leaders from the Terry Fox Research Institute as they announced a major investment in the Terry Fox Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network (MOHCCN).

The MOHCCN was established in 2019 to improve outcomes and quality of life for people with cancer by accelerating precision medicine. Precision medicine involves using the genetic make-up of each patient’s cancer as well as their individual characteristics to personalize cancer treatments, allowing doctors to provide the right treatment at the right time for each patient. 

The $80 million federal investment must be matched with an additional $80 million through the Terry Fox Foundation (TFF) and participating institutions, unlocking a total potential investment to $160 million for precision oncology research across Canada.  

The new funding will enable The Ottawa Hospital and other hospitals across the country to offer more advanced and comprehensive molecular testing to eligible cancer patients. This involves sequencing all the thousands of genes expressed in the patient’s tumour. 

“This advanced genomic testing can help identify treatment opportunities that would otherwise remain hidden, including eligibility for precision oncology clinical trials and targeted therapies,” said Dr. Arif Ali Awan, medical oncologist, clinician investigator at The Ottawa Hospital and local investigator for the MOHCCN. “By combining comprehensive molecular profiling with a national research network, we can connect more patients to innovative treatments while generating data that will accelerate the development of future cancer therapies.”

Thanks to MOHCCN, The Ottawa Hospital is now offering this more advanced molecular testing to eligible patients with biliary tract cancer, rare advanced (stage 4) cancer and those with cancer of an unknown origin. More than 20 clinicians, staff and trainees are involved in the program at the hospital. 

“Precision medicine is the future of cancer treatment because it allows us to tailor our therapies to a specific patient’s cancer,” said Dr. Natasha Kekre, Program Director of The Ottawa Hospital’s Cancer Research Program. “We are delighted to be a member of MOHCCN and we thank the Government of Canada for this support.”