Since its establishment by the Cyprus Government and the Bank of Cyprus in 1998 BOCOC has by and large served Cyprus as the reference centre for cancer management with over 80% of all newly diagnosed cancer cases being assessed and treated at the centre every year. Highly qualified health professionals ensure state-of-the-art patient care comprising systemic therapy, radiotherapy and palliative care. Its vision is to be an autonomous, not-for-profit referral centre for the treatment of cancer, aspiring to excellence, committed to continuous improvement, in the service of the people of Cyprus and the broader region. The overall strategy is the collaborative networking of institutions, facilities and health professionals to achieve detection, diagnosis, treatment and continuity of cancer care. The Centre is catalytic in creating and sustaining networks of professionals and institutions involved with cancer. The medical equipment of the center includes the following: 3 Linear Accelerators; Superficial treatment unit; HDR-Brachytherapy system; Simulator; CT scanner for simulation (spiral, 32 slice); Treatment planning systems (3D); CT scanner (spiral, 64 slice); Ultrasound unit; Digital mammography unit (with tomosynthesis capability); Digital conventional X-ray unit; Digital fluoroscopy unit; SPECT-CT; Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS); Computed Radiography System. The Centre’s facilities also include: 2 Wards for hospitalisation and inpatient treatment (up-to 38 beds); Day care unit for chemotherapy (31 beds); Day care unit for supportive care (13 beds); Outpatient examination/consulting rooms; Aseptic suite for the reconstitution of cytotoxic drugs; Pharmacy and dispensary. (www.bococ.org.cy)
Key Personnel
Dr Anastasia Constantinidou is a Lecturer in Oncology/Haematology at the Medical School of the University of Cyprus. Dr. Constantinidou gained Membership of the Royal College of Physicians (MRCP) in the UK in 2005, specialist accreditation in Internal Medicine in 2006 and an MSc in Oncology (Merit) from the University of London in 2010. She completed her specialist clinical training in Medical Oncology at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London in 2011. Subsequently Dr. Constantinidou was awarded a Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Fellowship for laboratory research in molecular pathology and gained her PhD from the Institute of Cancer Research, University of London, in 2015. Her basic science research has focused on the identification of genes involved in the process of cell differentiation as novel targets in cancer therapeutics with emphasis on epigenetics and she has experience in translational research running early phase clinical trials. She has been awarded a number of fellowships throughout her career including the Hellenic Society of Medical Oncology Clinical Training Fellowship and the ECCO-AACR-EORTC-ESMO Fellowship in Methods in Clinical Cancer Research Workshop as well as grants from the Wellcome Trust and the Sarcoma UK. She has been a co-investigator in over 80 UK, European and International Phase I/II/III clinical trials in oncology and through competitive selection she has presented her work in many international meetings. Dr Constantinidou is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO).
