New research to revolutionise lung cancer understanding
19 Jul 2013
Manchester is set to play a key role in a world-first Cancer Research UK study that will unlock lung cancer’s secrets.
The project, involving experts from the Paterson Institute for Cancer Research at the University, The Christie and the University Hospital South Manchester, will track how lung tumours develop and evolve in real time as patients receive treatment.
One of the largest ever studies of lung cancer patients globally, it will examine exactly how lung cancers mutate, adapt and become resistant to treatments.
Around 42,000 people are diagnosed with lung cancer in the UK every year, with around 35,000 deaths from the disease.
The nine-year, £14 million, UK-wide study of 850 patients – called TRACERx (Tracking Cancer Evolution through Therapy) – will receive one of the single biggest funding commitments to lung cancer.
It will bring together more than 65 lung cancer researchers in the UK, including oncologists, pathologists, laboratory researchers and technicians based in hospitals, universities and research institutes. Other research centres taking part in the study are: University College London, Velindre Cancer Centre Cardiff, Birmingham University Hospital, Leicester Hospital and the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
Professor Caroline Dive, Head of the Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology group at the Paterson Institute said: “We are delighted to work within this pioneering research consortium. Our studies on circulating tumour cells make us ideally placed to get the most information possible from each sample. One of our goals will be to develop blood tests to ensure that oncologists can select treatments optimally tailored to each individual lung cancer patient.”
Professor Richard Marais, Director of the Paterson Institute, said: “This extremely exciting study will allow us to provide personalised medicine for lung cancer patients.
“This approach will change treatment and outcomes for cancer patients in the UK and is exactly the type of ground-breaking research that scientists will be doing at the new Manchester Cancer Research Centre – bringing together a wide range of expertise to revolutionise cancer treatment.”
Dr Fiona Blackhall, from the University's Institute of Cancer Sciences, Consultant Oncologist at The Christie and Manchester Cancer Research Centre Lung Group Lead, said: “In the North West of England lung cancer rates are particularly high. At The Christie and University Hospital South Manchester more than 1000 patients with lung cancer are treated each year. Many patients take part in research studies and trials of new treatments led by researchers of the Manchester Cancer Research Centre Lung Cancer Group. This will be the first time that we have joined forces with other lung cancer researchers in the UK to study the biology and genetics of lung cancer in depth. By working together, sharing our knowledge and expertise, we hope to speed up the discovery of new ways to tackle this devastating disease."
Cancer Research UK is the largest funder of cancer research in Manchester – spending more than £17 million on research last year.
Dr Harpal Kumar, Cancer Research UK’s chief executive, said: “Lung cancer kills more people than any other type of cancer. We want to change this. For too long, success against the disease has been slow. We’re determined to unlock the secrets of the disease, to understand its biology, to develop more accurate tests to diagnose it and discover better treatments for people.”