Professor Chris Parker graduated from Oxford University in medicine in 1989. In 1996 he gained his FRCR from The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, and was appointed Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant in Clinical Oncology and Prostate Cancer Translational research at The Institute of Cancer Research and The Royal Marsden in 2001. He is a past chair of the NCRI Prostate Clinical Studies Group.
Professor Parker led the clinical development of radium-223, a targeted alpha-emitter for the treatment of bone metastases. The ALSYMPCA trial demonstrated that radium-223 improves overall survival and quality of life in men with advanced prostate cancer and has a favourable safety profile.
He also led the Medical Research Council STAMPEDE RT/M1 comparison. The results showed that prostate radiotherapy improves overall survival in men with low burden metastatic disease.
He is a leading researcher for The London Movember Centre of Excellence.
Professor Parker is currently leading two phase III trials of post-operative treatment: The RADICALS-RT trial compares adjuvant versus salvage radiotherapy. The RADICALS-HD trial compares three different durations of androgen deprivation in men receiving post-operative radiotherapy. Together these trials recruited over 3000 patients and the results are due around 2020.