The Division of Cancer Care and Epidemiology had its inception as the Radiation Oncology Research Unit (RORU), a health-services research unit that sought to enhance cancer outcomes by providing the information needed to improve decisions about the use of radiotherapy. Over time, the scope of research undertaken by the Division expanded into a comprehensive research group that now collaborates both internally and externally to investigate multiple aspects of cancer and cancer care.
In 2001, RORU joined forces with the National Cancer Institute of Canada-Clinical Trials Group (NCIC-CTG) and the Queen’s Cancer Research Laboratories, to create the Queen’s Cancer Research Institute (QCRI). CCE’s research program was originally undertaken by eleven Principal Investigators (PIs), each with research staff and trainees associated with specific research projects. The academic program was, and still is, aligned with two major Ontario Health - Cancer Care Ontario (OH-CCO) research themes: Health Services Research (HSR) and Population Studies.
CCE has been very fortunate to have received support from Queen’s University and OH-CCO since its inception.