BSMS > Research > Our researchers > Dr Alistair Ring

Dr Alistair Ring

MA, MRCP, MD

Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant in Oncology

Area of Expertise:

Breast cancer; Cancer in the elderly

Research Area(s):

Cancer, Elderly Care & Stroke

+44 (0)1273 696955 x4600

alistair.ring@bsuh.nhs.uk

Dr Ring's PA:
Sandy Kipling
+44 (0) 1273 696955 x4600
sandra.kipling@bsuh.
nhs.uk

Sussex Cancer Centre
Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, BN2 5BE

Biography

Senior lecturer (honorary consultant) in oncology, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, 2008-present

Locum consultant medical oncology, Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, 2006-2008

Specialist registrar in medical oncology, Guys, St Thomas' and St George's Hospitals, London, 2004-2006

Clinical research fellow, Royal Marsden Hospital, London, 2002-2004

Specialist registrar in medical oncology, Guys and St Thomas' Hospitals, London, 2001-2002

Clinical research fellow in medical oncology, Royal Marsden Hospital, London, 2000-2001

General professional surgical and medical training: John Radcliffe Hospital (Oxford), Royal United Hospital (Bath), Royal Brompton Hospital (London), Hammersmith Hospital (London), and St Georges' Hospital (London), 1997-2000

Education

MD, University of London, 2005

MRCP (UK), 2000

MA, Downing College, Cambridge University, 1998

BM BCh, Brasenose College, Oxford University, 1997

BA (Hons) (Medical Sciences, first class), Cambridge University, 1994

Research focus

Breast cancer; cancer in the elderly

Current research

National Co-ordinating Investigator of multi-centre Phase I study: "Phase I open label trial to assess safety of BIBW 2992 in combination with Herceptin® in patients with HER2-positive advanced breast cancer".

Joint National Principal Investigator for international multicentre trial: "Clinical and biological characterization of Male Breast Cancer: an international retrospective EORTC, BIG and NABCG intergroup study".

Local principal investigator for National Cancer Research Network, commercial and academic breast cancer trials.

Over the last three years I have developed a research programme for cancer care in the elderly, for which Sussex was designated a UK pilot site by Macmillan Cancer support in December 2010. To date this programme has recruited over 800 patients to studies assessing fitness for treatment, nutrition, communication, social isolation and treatment preferences in older people with cancer.

Active collaborations

Research team

Current/recent laboratory funding/grants

Selected publications

Cox N, Bowmer C and Ring A. Health literacy and the provision of information to women with breast cancer. Clinical Oncology 2011; in press.

Pallis AG, Ring A, Fortpied C, Penninckx B, Van Nes MC, Wedding U, von Minckwitz G, Johnson C, Wyld L, Bonnetain F, Reppeto L, Aapro M, Luciani A, Wildiers H. EORTC workshop on clinical trial methodology in older individuals with a diagnosis of solid tumors. Annals of Oncology 2010; 12(8): in press.

Otter S and Ring A. Outcomes following adjuvant therapy for HER-2 positive early breast cancer in the elderly. Expert Reviews of Anticancer Therapy 2010; 10(8): 1265-1272.

Cashman J, Wright J and Ring A. The treatment of co-morbidities in older patients with metastatic cancer. Supportive Care in Cancer 2010, 18(5):651-5.

Pallis AG, C. Fortpied C, Wedding U, Van Nes MC, Penninckx B, Ring A, Lacombe D, Monfardini S, Scalliet P, Wildiers H. EORTC Elderly Task Force Position Paper: Approach to the Older Cancer Patient. European Journal of Cancer 2010 2010 Jun;46(9):1502-13.

Ring A. The influences of age and co-morbidities on treatment decisions for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer: results of a UK-based survey of surgeons and oncologists. Critical Reviews in Oncology Hematology 2010; 76: 127-132.

Ring A, Simcock R, Mitra S, Bloomfield D, King J, Simpson S, Sadler G, Webb A. Infusion of trastuzumab maintenance doses over 30 minutes. Annals of Oncology 2008;19: 1509-10.

Ring A, Cheong K, Watkins C, Underhill L, Meddis D, Cella D and Harper PG. A randomised crossover comparative study of electronic diary versus paper and pencil collection of quality of life data in patients with locally advanced and metastatic non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patient 2008;1(2):105-113.

Ring A. Breast cancer and pregnancy. The Breast, 2007; 16 Suppl 2: S155-8.

Jones RL, Lakhani SR, Ring A, Ashley S, Walsh G and Smith IE. Pathological complete response and residual DCIS following neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast carcinoma. British Journal of Cancer 2006; 94: 358-362.

Ring A, Smith IE , Jones A, Shannon C, Galani E and Ellis PA. Chemotherapy for breast cancer during pregnancy: eighteen year experience from five London teaching hospitals. Journal of Clinical Oncology 2005;23: 4192-4197.

Ring A, Zabaglo L, Ormerod MG, Smith IE and Dowsett M. Detection of circulating epithelial cells in the blood of patients with breast cancer: comparison of laser scanning cytometry following cell filtration or immunomagnetic separation with a multiple marker real time RT-PCR assay. British Journal of Cancer 2005; 92:906-912

Ring A and Ellis PA. Taxanes in the treatment of early breast cancer. Cancer Treatment Reviews 2005; 31: 618-627.

Ring A, Smith IE and Ellis PA. Breast cancer in pregnancy. Annals of Oncology 2005; 16(12):1855-1860.

Ring A and Ellis PA. Chemotherapy for breast cancer during pregnancy. American Journal of Oncology Review 2005; 4(11):719-721.

Ring A, Smith IE, Ashley S, Fulford L and Lakhani S. Oestrogen receptor status, pathological complete response (pCR) and prognosis following neoadjuvant chemotherapy for early breast cancer. British Journal of Cancer 2004;91:2012-2017.

Ring A and Dowsett M. Mechanisms of tamoxifen resistance. Endocrine-Related Cancer 2004; 11: 643-658.

Ring A and Smith IE. Radiotherapy alone following a clinical complete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in operable breast cancer. American Journal of Oncology Review 2004; 3 (4): 221-223.

Ring A, Smith IE and Dowsett M. Circulating tumour cells in breast cancer. Lancet Oncology 2004;5: 79-88.

Ring A, Webb A, Allum WH, Sacks NP, Gui G, Ebbs SR, Walsh G, Ashley S and Smith IE. Is surgery necessary after complete clinical remission (cCR) following neoadjuvant chemotherapy for early breast cancer? Journal of Clinical Oncology 2003;21:4540-4545.

Zabaglo L, Ormerod MG, Parton M, Ring A and Dowsett M. Cell filtration-laser scanning cytometry for the characterisation of circulating breast cancer cells. Cytometry 2003; 55 (2):102-108.

Ring A, Marx GM, Steer CB, Prendiville J and Ellis P. Poor uptake of influenza vaccination in patients receiving chemotherapy. International Journal of Clinical Practice 2003; 57 (6) :542-543.

Ring A and Dowsett M. HER2 and Hormonal Therapies: Clinical Implications. Clinical Breast Cancer 2003, Suppl 1:S34-41.

Ring A and Harper PG. Palliative treatment: what’s the point? American Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2002; 25 (5): 537-539.

Ring A, Marx G, Steer C and Harper PG. Influenza vaccination and chemotherapy: a shot in the dark? Journal of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2002, 10:462-465.

Books and book chapters:

Ring A and Prendiville J. Contemporary issues in the systemic treatment of lung cancer. Chapter 7, pp: 99-119, in: Contemporary issues in cancer imaging: Lung cancer. Editor: Desai SR. Series editors: Husband JE and Reznek RH. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2006. ISBN 978 0521872027.

Ring A and Ellis P. Breast cancer in pregnancy, Chapter 40, pp 857-872 in: Breast Cancer management in the era of molecular medicine: towards tailored approaches. Editors: Piccart MJ, Wood MD, William C, Hung M-C, Solin LJ, and Cardoso F. Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg, 2006. ISBN 3540282653.

Ring A, Harper-Wynne C, Smith IE. Breast cancer, Chapter 24, pp 545-562 in: Cancer Chemotherapy and Biological Response Modifiers. Editors Giaccone G, Schlisky R and Sondel P. Elsevier, Amsterdam, 2005. ISBN 0444518835.

Ring A, Webb A and Brighton D. Bone and soft tissue sarcoma, Chapter 44, pp 407-422 in: The Royal Marsden Hospital Handbook of Cancer Chemotherapy, Editors Brighton D and Wood M. Elsevier, London, 2005. ISBN 0443071012.