Europe’s largest cancer research organisation outlines GBP1.5 Billion five year strategy

The charity said it will continue to support laboratory and population-based research programmes and translational and clinical research.

As part of the programme CRUK set up 20 centres of excellence that link research activities with patient care, public engagement and cancer prevention initiatives. Each centre will develop a distinct research strategy and be encouraged to develop key areas of focus in which it will be world-class. Most of these Centres will be launched in 2009.

Cancer Research UK’s chief executive Harpal Kumar, said that over the past thirty years progress in treating cancer has been faster in some areas than others. “This strategy focuses our attention on those areas which will have the greatest impact on reducing cancer deaths in the future and on achieving our goals.”

Kumar singled out pancreatic, oesophageal and lung cancer as areas that will be targeted  “In these three cancers, there has been a degree of nihilism and even a defeatist attitude around the world, which has led to limited research activity.”

In addition, CRUK said it will boost research investment in surgery and radiotherapy. Research into new radiotherapy and surgical techniques has declined in recent years. Over the next five years the charity will take steps to correct this by making these disciplines a key focus for its research centres.

Professor Peter Johnson, Cancer Research UK’s chief clinician, said, “Cancer treatment is increasingly tailored to the individual patient. Through our investments in imaging and biomarker research we will accelerate this process.”