An appreciation of the science and philanthropy of sir Oliver Scott, founder of the Gray Cancer Institute.

This Commentary focuses on the landmark paper about hypoxia in radiotherapy by Gray, Scott et al published in 1953. By then, it was known that hypoxic regions in tumours could make them resistant to radiation treatment and that this was a possible cause of failure. The paper proposed that oxygen breathing could substantially decrease this resistance without incurring significant additional damage to normal tissues, thus reducing the likelihood of recurrence. Although the paper's supporting data were in some respects incomplete, the case it made was convincing and it prompted pilot clinical trials that combined radiotherapy with oxygen breathing, including under elevated pressure. Research into tumour hypoxia and strategies to overcome its adverse effects soon expanded and entered full clinical trials. Meta-analysis of their results showed improved outcomes in accord with the original proposals of Gray, Scott et al. A secondary result of their 1953 work was the founding at Mount Vernon Hospital of what later became Cancer Research UK's Gray Cancer Institute. This project was initiated by Oliver Scott and construction of the new laboratories was funded by a donation that he provided.