Rate My Professor John Forbes

Emeritus Professor John Forbes AM is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the School of Medicine and Public Health within the College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing at the University of Newcastle. He holds a Master of Surgery from the University of Melbourne, MBBS, and FRACS qualifications. Internationally renowned for his work in breast cancer prevention and treatment, Professor Forbes served as Professor of Surgical Oncology at the University of Newcastle and Director of Surgical Oncology at Calvary Mater Newcastle Hospital until his retirement from clinical practice in 2016. As founder and Research Director of the Australia and New Zealand Breast Cancer Trials Group (ANZBCTG), he coordinated Australia's first multi-centre trial in 1978 and oversaw more than 49 protocols covering prevention and all stages of breast cancer treatment, securing continuous NHMRC Project Grant support since 1979 and producing over 600 publications. His research interests encompass breast cancer clinical trials, adjuvant endocrine therapy, aromatase inhibitors, tamoxifen, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, quality of life in cancer treatment, and molecular markers for personalized medicine.

Professor Forbes chaired the Australian and New Zealand arm of the International Breast Cancer Intervention Study I (IBIS-I), establishing tamoxifen's role in preventing breast cancer in high-risk women by halving new cases, reducing secondary cancers, and tumours in the contralateral breast; this contributed to 2013 recommendations by NICE, ASCO, and USPSTF for its use in standards of care. He also led the Australasian arm of IBIS-II, evaluating anastrozole for prevention and comparing it to tamoxifen in early breast cancer. Advocating neo-adjuvant approaches—chemotherapy and hormone therapy before surgery—to monitor efficacy and reduce recurrence, he pioneered breakthroughs credited with saving millions of lives. Professor Forbes received the 2015 NSW Outstanding Cancer Researcher of the Year award, Member of the Order of Australia (AM), and recognition as one of Thomson Reuters' World's Most Influential Scientific Minds in 2014, 2015, and 2016 based on highly cited publications. Through global collaborations, ANZBCTG under his guidance advanced treatments, fostering next-generation researchers and emphasizing efficient gene-based trials.