CANCER researchers leading clinical trials in Scotland have been handed a £4.5 million windfall which will help fund work into tailored treatments for pancreatic cancer.
The Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit (CTU) in Glasgow was one of eight sites in the UK to share in a £45 million investment from Cancer Research UK, following a review by the charity of all its trials units. Funding is allocated every five years.
Read more: Groundbreaking trial into pancreatic cancer launches
The site, which is based at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre in Glasgow, is the only CTU run by the charity in Scotland.
Scientists at the facility are currently involved in research into new and better treatments for patients with brain tumours, pancreatic cancer, lung cancer and prostate cancer.
This includes work on the Primus trials, part of the Precision-Panc project which aims to develop personalised treatments for pancreatic cancer. Despite improvements for other forms of cancer, survival rates from pancreatic cancer have remained stubbornly low.
Cancer Research has already invested £10m towards the Glasgow-led study which is dividing pancreatic cancer patients between three clinical trials based on the molecular profile of their tumours.
Professor Robert Jones, lead researcher for the Glasgow CTU, said: “Patients who are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer have tumour tissue sent to labs in Glasgow for genetic testing. Depending on the results of this testing, the patient is then offered one of a growing suite of clinical trials which we hope will be best suited to the particular form of the disease that they have.
“We believe that this approach will result in better treatment, by avoiding the side effects of the current ‘one size fits all’ chemotherapy and offering treatments which will be more specific to the individual patient’s tumour.”
Read more: Glasgow prostate cancer study into 'tailored' drug treatments
Every year, around 31,700 people in Scotland are diagnosed with a form of cancer. Overall incidence has fallen for men in the past decade, but increased among women, although trends vary significantly between cancers.
In last 40 years, overall survival from cancer has doubled in the UK and today two in four people survive their cancer for at least 10 years. By 2034, Cancer Research UK wants this to increase to three quarters of patients.
Read more: Dragons' Den style contest for cancer research funding
Victoria Steven, the charity's spokeswoman for Scotland, said: “This crucial investment recognises the fantastic research taking place in Glasgow. It ensures researchers can take full advantage of our most promising scientific discoveries and translate them into new tests and treatments for patients.
“One-in-two of us will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in our lives - so it’s reassuring to know that, thanks to our supporters, Cancer Research UK is able to fund some of the best and most promising research here in Scotland, to help more people survive.”
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