The Zane Cohen Centre
CARING FOR THE FAMILY AT RISK
Zane Cohen
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In 2009, the Zane Cohen
Centre was founded, bringing
together a multidisciplinary
team consisting of gastroenterologists,
surgeons, psychiatrists,
psychologists, pathologists, radiologists,
molecular geneticists,
genetic counsellors, epidemiologists,
paediatricians, and IT
specialists from across Toronto.
Their goal is to build knowledge
and provide comprehensive care to families affected by
hereditary bowel cancer and inflammatory bowel disease
(IBD). This is the only centre in the world with
all of these experts working in one space, a tremendous
resource for patients affected by hereditary cancer and
IBD. It allows for comprehensive, multi-disciplinary
care and counselling for patients whose illnesses overlap
both the medical and surgical specialties.
The unique collaborative environment at The Zane
Cohen Centre has enhanced research efforts and developed
a worldwide reputation as a leader in gastrointestinal
disease research. The centre has become a destination,
both nationally and internationally, for researchers
interested in investigating hereditary cancer and IBD.
The Zane Cohen Centre is home to the largest familial
gastrointestinal cancer registry in Canada. The registry
data extends back more than thirty years. This database
is a source of substantial contribution to the understanding
of hereditary cancer. It has allowed the identification
of multiple genes that are now routinely used to identify
patients at risk for gastrointestinal malignancy. One of
the most notable contributions is identification of the
role microsatellite instability plays in the prognosis of
colorectal malignancy - a finding that has influenced the
use of adjuvant chemotherapy worldwide.
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Currently, The Zane Cohen Centre is the lead site in
the most promising study in Crohn’s disease research.
This international, prospective project was developed by
and based at the Centre. One out of every 150 Canadians
has IBD. There is no known cause or cure. GEM stands
for Genetic, Environmental, and Microbial. The study
is investigating the ways in which genetic predisposition,
environmental influences, and microbial interactions
combine in Crohn’s disease. GEM identifies healthy
siblings or children of people living with Crohn’s disease
and follows them both before and after diagnosis. By
tracking individuals at risk, investigators hope to identify
the triggers and factors involved in the development of
the disease. Ultimately this knowledge could prognosticate
the course of patients with IBD over their lifetimes
and tailor medical and surgical therapy on an individual
basis.
Because their investigators are clinicians, the Zane
Cohen Centre champions translational research and is
able to quickly and efficiently bring new research findings
into the clinical setting through a number of programs,
such as the Evidence Based Reviews in Surgery
and the Best Practice in General Surgery, which analyze
primary research and integrate the results into guidelines
that are applied to clinical work every day in Ontario.
The patient is central to the activity but also to the
existence of The Zane Cohen Centre. While many of
the researchers have sizeable grants, this money is not
enough to cover the infrastructure costs necessary for
cutting edge research. The centre could not continue to
operate without the generous support from patients and
their families. The generous nature of the center’s donors
reflects their inherent altruism. Many substantial donors
have a family member whose life has been impacted by
IBD or hereditary bowel cancer. It is customary to publicly
recognize and honour such with ceremonies or by
dedicating a part of the centre in their name. However,
these donors believe so strongly in the Zane Cohen
Centre that they consistently refuse recognition. The
donors’ hope is that research at the centre will contribute
to a cure for inflammatory bowel disease and bowel
cancer. With their continued support, the Zane Cohen
Centre is working to make these dreams a reality.
Ryan Snelgrove
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