Cancer Institute NSW

Cancer Institute NSW is the New South Wales Government's specialist cancer control agency, established in July 2003 through the Cancer Institute NSW Act 2003 in response to the need to more substantially reduce the devastating burden of cancer on the New South Wales community and population. Unlike a hospital, Cancer Institute NSW is a government statutory health corporation — it does not provide direct clinical treatment to individual patients, but rather plays a system-wide role in planning, funding, coordinating and driving improvements in cancer prevention, early detection, treatment, research and survivorship across the state.

The Cancer Institute NSW is charged with substantially improving cancer control outcomes across New South Wales, home to more than 8 million people. This is achieved through a multi-faceted strategy encompassing population-level cancer prevention campaigns (addressing tobacco, alcohol, obesity, sun exposure and vaccination), statewide cancer screening programs (BreastScreen NSW, bowel cancer screening, cervical screening), cancer treatment services planning and funding, clinical trials infrastructure and support, cancer data collection and surveillance, and workforce training and development.

The Institute is headquartered in Sydney and works in close partnership with NSW Health, hospitals, cancer research institutions, universities, primary health networks and community organisations. Its work is guided by successive cancer plans that set priorities and targets for reducing cancer incidence, improving early detection rates and improving survival outcomes for people with cancer in New South Wales.

For individuals diagnosed with cancer or seeking cancer treatment, Cancer Institute NSW provides an invaluable public information resource — the website icanhelp.sydney and the Cancer Council NSW helpline — connecting people with the information, services and support networks they need at a very difficult time.

Cancer Institute NSW operates across several key program areas that together constitute a comprehensive approach to cancer control at the population level in New South Wales.

Cancer Screening Programs: The Institute administers and funds BreastScreen NSW, the NSW Cervical Screening Program and supports the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program in NSW. These population-based screening programs aim to detect cancer at the earliest, most treatable stage, and collectively screen hundreds of thousands of NSW residents each year.

Cancer Prevention: The Institute funds and coordinates campaigns targeting the major modifiable risk factors for cancer, including tobacco use, excess alcohol consumption, obesity, physical inactivity, ultraviolet radiation exposure and infections preventable through vaccination (HPV, hepatitis B). Prevention programs are delivered through mass media, community partnerships and primary health care settings.

Cancer Research: Cancer Institute NSW funds cancer research through competitive grant programs, including the Priority-driven Collaborative Cancer Research Scheme and the Translational Program Grants. The Institute also supports the NSW clinical trial network, increasing access to clinical trial participation for cancer patients across the state.

Cancer Data and Surveillance: The NSW Cancer Registry, managed by Cancer Institute NSW, collects data on all new cancer diagnoses in NSW, enabling comprehensive monitoring of cancer trends, incidence, survival rates and geographic distribution. This data underpins cancer planning, policy and evaluation activities.

Cancer Institute NSW is based at the Australian Technology Park (ATP) Biomedical Building, Suite 101, 1 Central Avenue, Eveleigh NSW 2015 — located in the inner-southern Sydney suburb of Eveleigh, near Redfern. The ATP is a hub for biomedical and life sciences organisations in Sydney, positioning Cancer Institute NSW within a cluster of complementary research and health institutions.

As a government agency rather than a treating hospital, Cancer Institute NSW does not have wards, operating theatres, intensive care units or clinical treatment facilities for individual patients. Its offices house policy, research, data and program management teams, along with meeting and seminar facilities that support the Institute's coordination and education roles.

The Institute's Cancer Registry maintains a major data infrastructure supporting ongoing surveillance of cancer in NSW. The Institute also administers clinical trials infrastructure including ScreenNet (the network supporting cancer screening coordination) and the NSW Cancer Trials Network, which connects patients across NSW with access to clinical research studies.

For direct cancer treatment and clinical care, patients in New South Wales should be referred to public hospitals (including major cancer centres such as Chris O'Brien Lifehouse, Prince of Wales Hospital, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and others) or private cancer treatment facilities. Cancer Institute NSW can assist people in navigating these services.

Cancer Institute NSW is a NSW Government agency and does not provide direct clinical care for individual patients, including international patients. International visitors who require cancer treatment while in Australia should seek care at an appropriate public or private hospital with oncology services.

For international visitors to Sydney diagnosed with cancer or requiring cancer treatment, major hospitals with comprehensive cancer programs include Chris O'Brien Lifehouse (a dedicated cancer hospital at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital), Sydney Children's Hospital, Prince of Wales Hospital, and numerous other hospitals throughout NSW. International patients without Medicare coverage should ensure they hold Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC) from an approved Australian insurer. International students must hold Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC).

Cancer Institute NSW does engage with international researchers, policy makers and public health professionals through its research programs and data sharing arrangements. International cancer researchers interested in collaborating with NSW institutions or accessing NSW Cancer Registry data should contact the Institute directly to discuss the appropriate research governance pathways.

All public information from Cancer Institute NSW is published in English, with some translated resources available for non-English speaking communities in NSW. The Institute's icanhelp.sydney portal and Cancer Council NSW's telephone helpline (13 11 20) can assist individuals and families seeking information and support services.

Cancer Institute NSW is a statutory health corporation established and governed under the Cancer Institute NSW Act 2003 (NSW). As a government agency, it operates under the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983 (NSW) and is subject to the oversight of the NSW Parliament, the NSW Auditor-General, and the relevant NSW Government Ministers responsible for health.

The Institute's research grant programs are governed by peer review processes aligned with national research standards. Competitive grants are assessed by panels of independent experts drawn from leading Australian and international cancer researchers and clinicians, ensuring that public investment in cancer research is directed towards the highest-quality, highest-impact projects.

The NSW Cancer Registry, which Cancer Institute NSW administers, is a legally mandated registry — medical practitioners and laboratories are required by law to notify the Registry of all new cancer diagnoses in NSW. This statutory basis ensures comprehensive, high-quality data collection and makes the NSW Cancer Registry one of the most complete population-based cancer registries in the world. The Institute works collaboratively with the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) to contribute NSW data to national cancer statistics.