Located at The Princess Margaret in Toronto, Canada, The Gattuso Rapid Diagnostic Centre provides women and men with a breast cancer diagnosis in one day, instead of weeks or months. Women referred to the clinic by their family physician can have a physical exam, a mammogram, an ultrasound, even a tissue biopsy – and get the results from a surgeon, all within one day. If the tests confirm that there is breast cancer, the patient leaves the clinic in one day with a treatment plan, and takes it back to their referring physician.

Long waits for a breast cancer diagnosis can cause distress in patients. Several studies indicate that a delay in assessing any abnormal mammogram increases patient anxiety, with psychological distress intensifying as the waiting time for diagnosis gets longer. In addition, the Canadian Medical Association practice guidelines for breast cancer emphasize that diagnostic tests should be completed as soon as possible after a lump in the breast is detected. The reason for this is because it reduces long term anxiety and makes things easy for patients facing the possibility of breast cancer.

Dr. David McCready, Director, The Gattuso Rapid Diagnostic Centre, Gattuso Chair in Breast Surgical Oncology and Head of the Breast Cancer Program at The Princess Margaret.

Unique in Canada, The Breast Cancer Rapid Diagnosis Pilot launched in September, 2006. The clinic changed its name to The Gattuso Rapid Diagnostic Centre when Emmanuelle Gattuso and her husband, Allan Slaight, generously donated $12.5 million to the Centre in May 2009.

Listening to patients talk about the anxiety of waiting for a breast cancer diagnosis, the rapid diagnosis concept was the idea of Dr. David McCready, Director, The Gattuso Rapid Diagnostic Centre, Gattuso Chair in Breast Surgical Oncology and Head of the Breast Cancer Program at The Princess Margaret.

Long waits for a breast cancer diagnosis can cause distress in patients. Several studies indicate that a delay in assessing any abnormal mammogram increases patient anxiety, with psychological distress intensifying as the waiting time for diagnosis gets longer. In addition, the Canadian Medical Association practice guidelines for breast cancer emphasize that diagnostic tests should be completed as soon as possible after a lump in the breast is detected. The reason for this is because it reduces long term anxiety and makes things easy for patients facing the possibility of breast cancer.

The pilot for a rapid diagnosis centre became a reality with the purchase of an X-Press Rapid Tissue Processor that facilitates the pathology, after a suspicious lump has been biopsied.

Currently, an average of 750 women and men receive their diagnosis and treatment plan from The Gattuso Rapid Diagnostic Centre each year. That number is expected to grow to 1,500 by 2011 and expand to encompass 3,000 patients annually in the Centre’s final phase by 2013.

With the help of donors, the Centre will also serve to benefit breast cancer patients across Canada by raising the standard of care provided. This will be done through collaborating with other breast centres of excellence to ensure not only rapid diagnosis, but state-of-the-art breast cancer treatment.

Building on the success of this patient-centred model of care, specialists in other areas of cancer treatment can begin to establish similar models to see other types of cancer more rapidly diagnosed – serving thousands of Canadians, every year.

To make a donation to the Centre call 416-946-6560.

After a referral from a family physician, who notes that a suspect breast lump may be cancerous, the patient arrives for a consultation at The Gattuso Rapid Diagnostic Centre in the morning.

If required, imaging is performed. A core biopsy is taken and the tissue is processed by the X-Press Rapid Tissue Processor.

Within hours, the biopsy is ready to be reviewed by a pathologist, who reports the result by that afternoon. A member of the surgical oncology team informs the patient of the findings (malignant or benign).

For patients with malignant findings, a treatment plan is also provided. The plan is then taken by the patient back to their referring physician, where they are followed up. The Gattuso Rapid Diagnostic Centre alleviates the anxiety associated with waiting for confirmation of breast cancer, and allows the patient then to focus on the path ahead of them.

While the same process outlined above occurs for the average breast cancer diagnosis and treatment plan across Canada, the approximate total time from start to finish for patients in Ontario is 33 days. At The Gattuso Rapid Diagnostic Centre, the process is usually 6 to 8 hours – much faster than the time it takes to receive a breast cancer diagnosis and treatment plan in Ontario.

Emmanuelle Gattuso, herself a breast cancer survivor, had endured the average wait time in Ontario for her diagnosis and wanted to ensure that nobody else had to go through the same anxiety. Together with her husband, Allan Slaight, Ms. Gattuso donated $12.5 million and has committed to help raise another $12.5 million for the program. As a tribute to her vision and generosity, the program is called The Gattuso Rapid Diagnostic Centre. To make a donation to the Centre call 416-946-6560.

Yes, the timing of the treatment doesn’t change. The treatment plan provided by The Gattuso Rapid Diagnostic Centre is taken by the patient back to their referring physician, where they are followed up. The Gattuso Rapid Diagnostic Centre alleviates the anxiety associated with waiting for confirmation of breast cancer, and allows the patient then to focus on the path ahead of them.

Yes. In 2009, it is expected that 180 men and 22,700 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in Canada. While the incidence of male breast cancer is minimal compared to female breast cancer, it must be diagnosed and treated.

In Canada, an estimated 22,700 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009, and approximately 5,400 women will lose their battle with the disease. Finding a lump in the breast is a hugely distressing moment in anyone’s life. Waiting up to 33 days (pre-Rapid Diagnosis Clinic wait times) to find out if that lump is breast cancer can be agonizing.

Long waits for a breast cancer diagnosis can cause distress in patients. Several studies indicate that a delay in assessing any abnormal mammogram increases patient anxiety, with psychological distress intensifying as the waiting time for diagnosis gets longer. In addition, the Canadian Medical Association practice guidelines for breast cancer emphasize that diagnostic tests should be completed as soon as possible after a lump in the breast is detected. The reason for this is because it reduces long term anxiety and makes things easy for patients facing the possibility of breast cancer.

Currently, an average of 300 women and men receive their diagnosis and treatment plan from The Gattuso Rapid Diagnostic Centre each year. That number is expected to grow to 750 patients during 2010, 1,500 by 2012 and expand to encompass 3,000 patients annually in the Centre’s final phase by 2018.

As one of the top 5 cancer research centres in the world, The Princess Margaret is uniquely positioned to offer the Rapid Diagnosis Centre model and serve as a provincial and regional resource, to help establish similar clinics. To make a donation to the Centre call 416-946-6560.

The expansion requires additional staff, equipment, and space. The Centre hopes to begin expanding the patient population immediately and therefore has elected to expand the clinic in three distinct phases:

Phase 1 (2009-2010)
This phase involves a doubling of current patient volumes to 750 a year by the end of 2010, while at the same time, increasing treatment capacity at The Princess Margaret and its partners. In order to expand the existing clinic, several new positions will be created to meet the increase in patient demand.

In addition to staff, funds will be used to support research services at the clinic (research that allows PMH to better translate the science of cancer into clinical practice for improved patient screening, diagnosis and treatment options).

Phase 2 (2011-2012)
This phase involves another doubling of patient volumes for diagnosis, from 750 to 1,500 patients per year (six patients a day, five days a week). The projected increase in patient volumes during Phase 2 will require new space to house The Gattuso Rapid Diagnostic Centre.

The new home for the Centre will have a minimum of three examination rooms, a reception, waiting area and counselling rooms. With an increase in space and more patients, the Centre will also require additional equipment.

Phase 3 (2013-2018)
Following the completion of Phase 2, once space, equipment and personnel are in place, The Gattuso Rapid Diagnostic Centre will be running at full capacity by Phase 3.

The Centre is expected to be serving 3,000 patients a year (twelve patients a day, five days a week with morning and afternoon intakes). Additional staff will be hired as required, and outreach and engagement activities with community and regional cancer partners will expand. To make a donation to the Centre call 416-946-6560.

The Centre will continue to be located within The Princess Margaret in its current location throughout Phase 1 of the building plan. During Phase 2, additional space will be needed and therefore the clinic will either expand or move to a different space within or nearby The Princess Margaret.