Charles visits breast cancer unit
A pioneering £4.6 million unit devoted to improving treatments for women with the most common type of breast cancer was officially opened by the Prince of Wales.
The Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Unit at Edinburgh's Western General Hospital aims to ensure that patients are treated in the most appropriate way for their particular type of cancer.
The centre, based at the University of Edinburgh's laboratories next to the hospital's existing breast unit, has brought together some of the best Scottish-based scientists and doctors to develop a centre of excellence for breast cancer.
Scientists will primarily focus on trying to find better drugs to treat hormone-sensitive breast cancer, which affects around three-quarters of the 4,000 women who are diagnosed with the disease every year in Scotland.
Charles, the patron of the Breakthrough Breast Cancer charity, spent an hour at the research unit and breast clinic, where he met staff involved in the project.
He was given a guided tour of the facility, accompanied by its director, Professor David Harrison, and clinical head Mike Dixon.
Unveiling an official plaque, Charles - known as the Duke of Rothesay in Scotland - praised the dedication shown by staff and the "valuable" work they do.
He said: "This particular research unit clearly is going to make an enormous difference in terms of removing unnecessary treatment and making a real difference at the end of the day to so many patients who have to go through treatment, many of which, as you know, suffer from side-effects in one way or another.
"I do know that this particular research will lead to something really of benefit to certain patients."
He also said: "My problem always on these occasions is there's never enough time to be able to ask all the incredibly stupid questions I want to ask about the incredibly complex things the researchers are studying."