@@The National Cancer Center Hospital East, established by a merger of The National Kashiwa and The National Sanitarium Matsudo Hospitals, was opened on July 1, 1992, in the city of Kashiwa, Chiba, about 30 kilometers northeast of Tokyo. The Hospital has 425 beds and consists of the 8 clinical divisions listed on the following pages. Its main aim is the development of new techniques for diagnosis and treatment of refractory cancers. In addition, there is focus on clinical practice and research on the treatment of cancers involving the digestive tract, head and neck, breast, hematopoietic system, and pelvic organs. Unique to this Hospital is a special emphasis on the quality of life (QOL) of cancer patients. Clinical research on improving patient QOL is actively conducted, and all facilities of the Hospital are available for the benefit of cancer patients. One prominent example is the establishment of the Palliative Care Unit (PCU), whose staff is devoted to alleviating the distress of terminally ill cancer patients. This innovation is the first departure from the National Hospital model and is expected to serve as a model for similar facilities in the future.
@@In April 1994, The National Cancer Center Research Institute East was opened at the Kashiwa Campus. This was the starting point of collaboration between staff members in the Research Institute and the Hospital. Many joint projects are now ongoing in the fields of surgical pathology, tumor biology, developmental therapeutics, psycho-oncology, and clinical epidemiology.
@@As of January 1, 1998, the hospital staff included 57 consultant physicians, 8 pharmacists, 35 technicians, 235 nurses and 45 residents. During 1998, we cared for 98,286 outpatients, including 7,975 first visits, and 5,409 inpatients including 1,620 patients who underwent surgery under general anesthesia. The number of patients treated is still increasing more than last year, due to shorter hospital stays of inpatients and an efficient management system, although there have been few increases in the numbers of medical and auxiliary staff. Nevertheless, all employees are trying their best to respond to the expanding demands of this increasing number of patients. Having overcome many difficulties and challenges since the initial opening of the Hospital, we are now confident that it has established a firm reputation as a highly active and well integrated Cancer Center Hospital. Although we only have clinical data for six and a half years, many of the papers listed on the following pages were published in various international journals in 1998.
@@In April 1997, The National Cancer Center Hospital East became only the second hospital worldwide after The Loma Linda University in California, to have proton therapy equipment. Clinical trials started in November 1998 after a long test run with complicated adjustments to hardware and software. This modality will provide better results for refractory cancers, such as those of the lung and liver, as well as cancers of the head and neck, brain, prostate, and so on.
@@I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the support we have received from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, other governmental organizations, private organizations, individuals and the Foundation for Promotion of Cancer Research. I am grateful to my colleagues for their diligence in preparing this report.
@March, 1999

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Satoshi Ebihara, M.D.@
Director, National Cancer Center Hospital East@

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