Scotsman Obituaries: Professor Allan Langlands, Scottish oncologist who made a big impact in Australia

Professor Allan Ogilvie Langlands AM, cancer treatment pioneer. Born: 1 August, 1931 in Edinburgh. Died: 28 March 2025 in Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia, aged 93

When Edinburgh-born Allan Langlands was overlooked for promotion in Scotland it was Australia’s gain – he headed Down Under where he played a key role in changing the face of oncology.

A towering figure in the field of cancer treatment, he became the first Clinical Professor of Radiation Oncology in Australasia and an internationally renowned pioneer, teacher and mentor.

Known for his short fuse and dry humour, his trademark phrase during tutorials – “So far, no marks” – was not so much a criticism as an exhortation to inspire students to expand their ability and think more profoundly.

Allan Langlands revolutionised oncology in Australia

A swathe of tributes from former students, now successful clinicians, stands testimony to his impact on their learning.

Before his birth his parents lived in the United States but his grandfather insisted they return to Scotland to ensure their son was born here, where they remained. Academically brilliant, he attended Edinburgh’s Royal High School, going on to Edinburgh University medical school where he graduated with a BSc in physiology in 1953 and MB ChB in 1956, gaining the Gold Medal for his graduating class.

He trained as a junior doctor in Edinburgh’s teaching hospitals and was called up for National Service in 1958, serving as a captain in the Royal Army Medical Corps stationed at the British Military Hospital in Singapore, where he met his future wife, Helen. They married in 1961 and had two children.

Deciding to specialise in what was then known as radiotherapy, now clinical oncology, he held a research fellowship at the Medical Research Council Clinical Effects of Radiation Research Unit at Edinburgh’s Western General Hospital where he was appointed consultant radiation oncologist in 1969.

He was responsible for the care of breast cancer patients in the Edinburgh clinics and of those with soft tissue and bone tumours across the region, as well some benign diseases. Gradually he took on the director, Professor Robert McWhirter’s, clinical services and applied for his chair when his superior retired.

Disappointment at being overlooked for the role was a key factor in his decision to move to Australia.

In 1978 he was appointed director of radiation oncology at the new Westmead Hospital in Sydney, New South Wales, a move described as a transformative moment for Australian oncology. There he rose to the challenge of creating an entirely new and world-class radiation oncology department.

As the University of Sydney’s first Clinical Professor of Radiation Oncology in Australasia, he developed a training and research environment that became a blueprint for others to follow. When he retired in 1997 it comprised a team of more than 70.

Already a Fellow of the Royal College of Radiologists in the UK and of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh for his contribution to patient care, he was also a Fellow of the then Royal Australasian College of Radiologists, now the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (FRANZCR) and became the college’s Chief Censor (examiner), a post he held for many years.

His focus remained on breast cancer and his concept of setting up joint multi-disciplinary clinics paved the way for integrated cancer care models. He led numerous studies, advocated breast conservation rather than radical mastectomy and helped to develop the first Australian guidelines for breast cancer management. In a personal retrospective published in The Breast, he looked back on the changes in the field over his career, from cobalt machines to conformal therapy.

His influence spread far and wide, through more than 200 papers and the sharing of his expertise – he consulted internationally, including Papua New Guinea – and was recognised with numerous awards.

He received the Gold Medal from the Royal Australasian College of Radiologists in 1996 and the following year was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his service to medicine, particularly in the field of radiation oncology and its application to breast cancer treatment. Then in 2000 he received the Cancer Council NSW Award for Professional Excellence.

A gifted teacher and clinical diagnostician, he was admired for his wisdom, compassion, humanity and humility but also affectionately remembered for his irascibility and inclination to suffer no fools – a teddy bear with a growl and no bite, it was said.

A proud Scot and proud Australian – he held dual citizenship – he arrived at his retiral dinner by boat, sailing down the Parramatta River to Sydney’s Circular Quay with two pipers playing for his many former trainees who turned up for the celebration. At his funeral, the pipes were out again to accompany him into the chapel.

Predeceased by his wife, Allan Langlands is survived by their children Gillian and Colin and grandchildren Patricia and Kirk.

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