Cancer nursing into the millennium: the Robert Tiffany Annual Lecture, Royal Marsden Hospital

The nursing profession has shown tremendous adaptability throughout the ages. Cancer nurses have encountered many challenges and changes during this past century that have marked our increasingly rapid progress on the long road of development of cancer nursing. The movement from an illness-focused, hospital-based, physician-dominated health care model to preventive, community-defined and collaborative health care is providing exciting new opportunities for nurses. Advances in science and technology and a more informed consumer present unique challenges as well. Based on the trends and the tremendous breakthroughs occurring during this decade, this article explores visions and dreams of the preferred future of cancer nursing as we march into the next millennium.