History
The National Cancer Institute of Milan (INT), established in 1928, is a centre of excellence for pre-clinical, translational and clinical research activities, and clinical care. INT has 464 inpatient beds and provides more than 400.000 outpatient visits annually. The Institute carries out a public service with a high level of diagnostic therapeutic and research activities. The inseparability, reciprocity and the functional continuum between clinic and research constitutes a constitutional specificity, combined with the access to continuing care facilities qualifying INT as a Comprehensive Cancer Centre, according to the criteria of the Organization of European Cancer Institutes (OECI).
Profile
The Institute has programmes and projects in every field and phase of research, preclinical, epidemiological, public health and clinical. INT is the Italian coordinator of numerous national and international clinical trials and early phase studies. Numerous clinical trials have characterized the Institute, where many milestones have been laid in the history of oncology and, even today, different therapy schemes and intervention techniques remain the only valid options for treating tumor gaps. In more recent years, the INT has been the first in Italy to conduct research on the biological and molecular characterization of tumors, which led to the identification of oncogenes at the origin of thyroid cancer and new biomarkers. The Institute also deals with training and personnel training, with educational activities formalized through agreements with universities, hosting numerous university specialists.
Specialities
The centre is totally dedicated to the cure of cancer and is divided into different departments that come together in: medical oncology, hematology, surgery, radiotherapy. Within these departments there are highly specialized units following these tumours:
- Breast
- Gastrointestinal
- Genitourinary
- Gynecological
- Head and Neck
- Lung
- Lymphoma and Myeloma
- Melanoma and Skin
- Neuroendocrine
- Pediatric tumors
- Sarcoma
The centre also has a number of specialized clinical services, including:
- Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology Programme
- Genetic consult
- Oncopsychology
- Pain Clinic
- Prostate Programme
- Palliative Care Programme
Palliative and Supportive Care
The mission of Palliative Care, Pain Therapy and Rehabilitation Unit is to address the needs of patients in all stages of the disease to improve quality of life and provide a system of care and support fully integrated with the overall cancer diagnosis programme, therapy and research. The Palliative care Unit provides outpatient visits and day hospital, admission to hospice for frail patients with a particular focus on end of life care, consult service within the Institute, and a home care programme for patients who wish to spend the last periods of their life at home. Cancer Rehabilitation provides appropriate interventions to recover acute and chronic consequences of surgery, radiation therapy, and medical treatments, as well as to support the complications of advanced cancer. The Unit is integrated with the palliative care team activities in the hospice and home care setting with specific organizational modalities.
Last update: October 2022
