In the field of chemoprevention, where the IEO is now the worldwide point of reference, the new HOT study (Hormones opposed by Tamoxifen) examines women who take hormone replacement therapy. The principle involves combining replacement therapy with low doses of tamoxifen, in order to protect women from the increased risk of breast cancer linked with taking hormones. The study, coordinated by the IEO, recruits 8500 women in Italy, generating important new information about this drug, which has demonstrated its ability to prevent the onset of cancer.

The European Institute of Oncology inaugurates the first integrated cancer diagnosis centre for women, located on Via San Luca in Milan. This is a unique organisational model in Italy: within a single structure, women can undergo all the most advanced tests that science and technology have currently made available for the prevention and early diagnosis of women’s cancer. This is a solid contribution to developing the concept of prevention among women.

The IEO creates an innovative model for Italian health, adopting the “Management system for professional families – Job Family Modelling”, set up in collaboration with union organisations. Its main goal is to ensure the development of the skills and professional expertise of the Institute’s human resources, considered a decisive element for guaranteeing that patients receive top-quality care. The system is implemented through a supplementary company contract.

In collaboration with the University of Milan, “Masters’ Degrees in Breast Pathologies” are introduced, proposing new educational model for young college graduates. The Institute is the only one in Italy, and in Europe, that offers students the chance to study directly at a centre famed worldwide for its excellence, participating monthly in clinical activities. Many young foreign students immediately enrol in the masters’ programme.

Another important article by the IEO is published in NATURE, about the ubiquitination of proteins. Researchers discovered a new mechanism in the “assembly box” of proteins, a mechanism that monitors their function and that could have important implications in the development of different diseases, including cancer. Another barrier is broken in understanding how cells work.

This marks a year of great results for Experimental Research: of all the oncology articles published in NATURE, half of the Italian ones come from the IEO.

The Breast Division reaches the world record for the number of cases treated annually.