Adriano Giacomin died on March, 22, at his home in Biella, after a long, hard fight against his disease.

We are deeply sad because Adriano was not just a colleague: first of all he was a friend and we will always remember him with love and regret.

Adriano was a passionate man who loved his family, job and community; he never spared himself when he believed in an idea and spent his life for the good.

He started working at CPO Piemonte in the early 1990s, when he began to be interested in cancer epidemiology and founded the province of Biella Cancer Registry which in recent years he extended to the Vercelli province: he dedicated himself to cancer epidemiology starting and consolidating the registry, and collaborating with the Italian Association of Cancer Registries, AIRTum.

He was involved in many research projects, authored the "Handbook of cancer registration" and worked to its update until his last days, managing to finalize the new edition; he also translated into Italian the third edition of the "International Classification of Diseases for Oncology (ICDO)" to provide a useful tool to improve cancer classification.

His greatest endeavour, however, was in staff training: he taught in all educational events promoted by AIRTum because he was convinced that transmitting skills, abilities, and scientific rigour in all registrars of the Italian cancer registries was an essential goal. Young people working in cancer registries learned so much from Adriano.

To his wife Gabriella and children Diana and Gregorio the sympathy, involvement and love of us all at CPO Piemonte.

We are left with the memory of a committed and enthusiastic colleague and a kind, always helpful friend.