Cancer is a significant clinical strength at Trinity College Dublin. There is a major cancer focus at both the teaching hospitals, St James' Hospital and the Adelaide and Meath Hospital incorporating the National Children's Hospital. St James' Hospital has traditionally had a strong clinical and research record in the haematological malignancies with the National Bone Marrow Transplantation Centre established at this site.

Research in cancer incorporates basic biomedical and biomolecular research based largely at the Institute of Molecular Medicine, clinical research based in both of the teaching hospitals and preventative strategies at AMNCH, strategically allied to therapeutic areas including the Schools of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Immunology and Pharmacy with the development of new anti-cancer drugs. In addition, the School of Radiotherapy focuses on the informatics of health care for cancer and also the development of more finely targeted therapies for social conditions.

Cancer research has been strongly funded in the past through research grants from PRTLI and National Cancer Institute USA, Health Research Board, National Cancer Institute and the European Union.

Preventative medicine plays a significant role in cancer and this role should be greatly augmented by the development of new screening tools within the coming decade. The development of an Institute based around Preventative Medicine at the Tallaght site will be significant in relationship to changes in the way in which we approach the diagnosis of cancer and also in relationship to health policy in this area.