Satoshi Ebihara, M.D.
Director, National Cancer Center Hospital East
The National Cancer Center Hospital East, established as a result of the merging of the National Kashiwa Hospital and the National Sanitarium Matsudo Hospital, was opened on July 1, 1992, in the city of Kashiwa, Chiba, which is about 30 kilometers northeast of Tokyo. The hospital has 425 beds and consists of 8 clinical divisions, described on the following pages. Its main aim is the development of new techniques for diagnosing and treating refractory cancers, such as those of the lung, liver, and pancreatobiliary system. There is also a focus on the 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 quality of life (QOL) for cancer patients. Clinical research on the improvement of patient QOL is actively conducted, and all hospital facilities are available for the benefit of cancer patients. One prominent example is the establishment of the Palliative Care Unit (PCU) annexed to the main building, where staff members are devoted to alleviating the distress of terminally ill cancer patients. This innovation was the first departure from the established models for national hospitals and has been a model for similar facilities in Japan.
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.
In April 1997, the National Cancer Center Hospital East became the second hospital in the world to have proton therapy equipment available for patient treatment (the first hospital to have such equipment was the Loma Linda University Medical Center in Loma Linda, California). In 1999, phase I/II studies for those with head and neck cancers and lung cancers as well as a phase II study for those with liver cancer were conducted. These studies followed the completion of a feasibility study for head and neck cancer patients begun in November 1998. Thus far, proton therapy has resulted in improved treatment of these malignancies, and we expect it to provide a new strategy for the treatment of other malignancies, such as brain tumors, loco-invasive prostate cancers, and the like.
As of January 1, 1999, the hospital staff included 58 consultant physicians, 8 pharmacists, 36 technicians, 239 nurses, and 42 residents. During 1999, we took care of 102,894 outpatients (including 7,884 newcomers) and 5,471 inpatients, including 1,563 patients who underwent surgery under general anesthesia. The number of patients treated continues to increase, due to shorter hospital stays, 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 treating this increasing number of patients. Having overcome many difficulties and challenges since the initial opening of the hospital, we are now confident that the National Cancer Center Hospital East has established a firm reputation as a highly active and well-integrated cancer treatment center. Although we have clinical data for only seven and a half years, quite a few of the papers listed on the following pages were published in various international journals in 1999, showing that our work here is of international importance.
I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the support that we have received from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, other governmental organizations, private organizations, individuals, and the Foundation for the Promotion of Cancer Research. In addition, I am grateful for the diligence of my colleagues in the hospital who have devoted their efforts and talent to publishing this report.
March, 2000
Satoshi Ebihara, M.D.
Director, National Cancer Center Hospital East
