New clinical lead for breast cancer set to drive change in north east London

North East London Cancer Alliance is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Peter Schmid as the clinical lead for breast cancer in north east London and Chair of the newly formed Expert Reference Group for breast cancer.

This group will help provide a dedicated focus on breast cancer, bringing together different clinical and professional experts with common goals to challenge the current ways of delivering breast cancer services to local patients and to ensure best practice is embedded across the whole of north east London.

Professor Peter Schmid is an internationally renowned breast cancer oncologist. He is the clinical director of the Breast Cancer Centre at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital and Chair in Cancer Medicine at Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University London.

He has an interest in breast cancer from diagnosis throughout treatment to optimal recovery, and also has a particular interest in triple-negative breast cancer, young women with breast cancer, pregnancy-associated breast cancer and fertility related issues.

He is renowned for many things, including his work in cancer immunotherapy. He was the lead investigator of the KEYNOTE-522 trial, which established the addition of the immune-checkpoint inhibitor Pembrolizumab to preoperative chemotherapy as a new standard for patients with stage II or III triple-negative breast cancer, based on a 37% reduction in recurrences of this aggressive subtype of breast cancer.

He was also the lead investigator of the Impassion130 trial that led to the approval of the first immunotherapy for patients with breast cancer, establishing a new standard of care for advanced triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).

His work has been published in many journals including the New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet, Lancet Oncology, JAMA Oncology, Nature Communications and the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Professor Peter Schmid (pictured below) says “I am looking forward to helping make significant improvements in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment for patients in north east London.

“We know there are many challenges at a local level. We have areas of high deprivation and a very rich mix of cultures and communities. But we also have a highly-skilled team across our local hospitals and, importantly, a great desire to make a difference.

“Helping breast cancer patients is my passion and my life-work. Through the Breast Expert Reference Group, I believe we can really reduce health inequalities and provide improved services for our local people.”

The Breast Cancer Expert Reference Group

The group’s aim will be to achieve improvement for the breast cancer pathway from early diagnosis, prehabilitation and treatment, through to rehabilitation and open access follow up. 

The Expert Reference Groups’ key objectives are to:

• Deliver system improvement for the pathway from early diagnosis, prehabilitation and treatment, through to rehabilitation and open access follow up.
• Lead, drive and deliver Cancer Transformation across North East London in line with NHSE Planning Guidance deliverables.
• Work closely with colleagues in all providers such as Trusts, primary care, community care and screening providers in North East London.

Wayne Douglas, Programme Lead for Diagnosis and Treatment, North East London Cancer Alliance, says “We are very fortunate to have Professor Peter Schmid join us, bringing his vast wealth of knowledge, skills and expertise in breast cancer to the people of north east London.

“We wish him every success in his new role and, personally, I am very excited to be working with him in such an important area, helping not only to save the lives of breast cancer patients, but also helping to improve their quality of life.”

More information

Read more about Expert Reference Groups: https://www.nelcanceralliance.nhs.uk/expert-reference-groups

Read more about the work of the North East London Cancer Alliance: https://www.nelcanceralliance.nhs.uk/about/our-work