The Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre is a global leader in cancer treatment, research and education. Known to most simply as “Peter Mac”, they are Australia’s only public hospital dedicated to cancer and one of an elite group of hospitals world-wide to have its own integrated cancer research program and laboratories.

Peter Mac’s mission is to minimise the impact of cancer on their patients and their community. They do this by treating and caring for patients with cancer and conducting research into better ways to treat and prevent cancer. They see around 25,000 patients, provide over 220,000 episodes of care, and care for inpatients requiring more than 40,000 bed days each year. Their research programs encompass some 25 laboratories and over 500 scientists, clinician-researchers, research nurses, allied health professionals and support staff.

Peter Mac strongly believes that treatment informed by research, and research informed by treatment, is the key to progressing better cancer care. As demonstrated elsewhere, the best way to facilitate this integration of clinical practice and research is to collocate treatment, research, education and other support services into a comprehensive cancer centre. Many of Peter Mac’s clinicians are also researchers and in 2008-09 presented their work at more than 225 conferences and meetings internationally.

Peter Mac was accepted as a full UICC member in 1970.