Investing in the future of ocular oncology
25 January 2023
In honour of the late Victoria Cohen, a respected expert in ocular oncology, we awarded a fellowship to Moorfields consultant, Guy Negretti. Guy has gained an international perspective on eye cancer to benefit patients at Moorfields.
The field of ocular oncology has a small community of around 300 consultants worldwide. This presents an opportunity for practitioners to gain diverse experiences and perspectives through collaboration and sharing of information. This can lead to advancements in the field and new treatments, resulting in better patient care overall.
What is ocular oncology?
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Ocular oncology deals with the diagnosis and treatment of tumours and cancer of the eye and surrounding tissues. It encompasses a wide range of conditions, including tumours of the eyelid, conjunctiva, uvea, retina, and orbit.
Ocular oncologists are trained to manage these tumours through surgery, radiation therapy, and/or chemotherapy. They also work closely with other medical specialists, such as oncologists and radiologists, to provide comprehensive care for patients with ocular tumours.
Collaborating with the best
In 2022, we awarded Moorfields consultant, Guy Negretti, with a travel fellowship. Guy spent six months working as an ocular oncology fellow at the Wills Eye Hospital in the United States.
Guy Negretti at Wills Eye Hospital
He also visited other major North American ocular oncology centres, such as Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York, The Hospital for Sick Kids in Toronto, Byers Eye Institute at Stanford, and The Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles.
This allowed Guy to gain an international perspective on the management of eye cancer so he could take his practice to a world class level.
Insights for the future
During his fellowship, Guy gained a thorough understanding of the research and studies that form the foundation for the practice of ocular oncology.
This knowledge is crucial in ensuring that his practice is evidence-based and allows him to identify gaps in the literature. This will aim to support the design of future research studies at Moorfields.
I hope that my fellowship will allow me to ensure that patients at Moorfields are getting the absolute best treatment anywhere in the world. This will mean they have the best possible chance for survival, vision preservation and for quality of life following their diagnosis.
Guy Negretti
At Wills Eye Hospital he collaborated with Professor Carol Shields. She is an expert in the field of ophthalmic oncology and has authored some of the most important studies in the field.
Guy with Professor Shields and another staff member at Wills Eye Hospital
Doing research with Dr. Shields gave him insights into how to efficiently frame research questions, organise a team of researchers, and how to write up results perfectly.
The potential
During his time in the US, Guy established strong relationships with other experts in the field from all over the world. These connections are valuable for future research collaboration, such as a proposed study on screening low-risk patients for retinoblastoma between London and Toronto.
Guy (second from left) with other experts he collaborated with
Guy’s fellowship will bring significant benefits to science, education, and clinical practice at Moorfields, positively impacting patients, staff, students and the general public.
Through his important contributions to major studies at Wills Eye Hospital, Guy is involved in work that has the potential to change practice worldwide too.
The Victoria Cohen Eye Cancer Charitable Trust
In honor of Victoria Cohen, her husband Nick Rapley has established the Victoria Cohen Eye Cancer Charitable Trust to offer scholarships to individuals who require financial aid for their training and education in the field of ocular oncology.
