Southampton scientists find better cancer treatments

The city has already staked a place on the global map when it comes to carrying out world-leading research into the disease that will affect one in two people in our lifetime.

Ahead of World Cancer Day this Sunday the Daily Echo looks at the painstaking new work being carried out in the heart of the city after more than £1.8m of funding was announced from Cancer Research UK.

It’s the latest cash injection to enable potentially game-changing research and clinical trials to get off the ground – carried out by some of the county’s brightest brains in cancer research.

Their goal is the same – to improve outcomes for patients and help more people survive for longer.

Dr Andy Davies, associate professor and consultant in medical oncology, said great strides had already been taking in better understanding cancer and finding new treatments and it was thanks to the world-class infrastructure in the city.

He said: “We are doing some really important world-leading research here that puts us on the map globally and it’s important people get to know about that.

“It’s also vital we tell people where their money is going when they fundraise for Cancer Research UK – from taking part in Race for Life, doing their own fundraising or dropping their change in a collection tin – so they can see the progress we are making thanks to their generosity and so that they can continue to support us in our endeavours.”

As well as having one of 14 dedicated Cancer Research UK centres that receives multi-million pound funding every year, Southampton also has a clinical trials unit funded by the charity and a dedicated clinical facility at the heart of the hospital where patients are treated from across the south.

Dr Davies said he is “delighted” to have the backing of the charity to support two clinical trials specifically for patients with lymphoma being run in Southampton.

The trials are both looking at whether the addition of new drugs alongside conventional chemotherapy treatment could improve the outcome for patients who have either failed to respond to standard treatment or who have relapsed after having it.

Dr Davies is also backing the Cancer Research UK campaign to mark World Cancer Day by wearing one of the charity’s Unity Bands – and he is calling on the people of Hampshire to join him.

The bands, which can be bought from any Cancer Research UK shop for a suggested donation of £2, features a classic reef knot design to symbolise the strength of people coming together to unite against cancer.

They are available in three different colours – pink, navy and blue – and can be worn in memory of a loved one, to celebrate people who’ve overcome the disease or in support of those going through treatment.

One in two people born after 1960 in the UK will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lifetime and although survival has doubled since the early 1970s, Cancer Research UK needs everyone to act now to help this progress continue.

Jenny Makin, Cancer Research UK spokesperson for Hampshire, said: “Making a donation and wearing a Unity Band is a simple, easy way to help fund vital research. We need everyone to join together and back our doctors, scientists and nurses who are working on the front line to beat cancer every day. More Unity Bands worn means more research, more treatments and more cures.”

What is World Cancer Day and how can I support it?

• World Cancer Day takes place on Sunday 4 February 2018.

• Around every two minutes, someone in the UK is diagnosed with cancer.

• There are over 200 types of cancer and 65 million of us.

• Cancer Research UK is calling on the nation to wear a Unity Band which come in 3 different colours – navy, blue and pink.

• Unity Bands are available in all Cancer Research UK stores and online at cruk.org/worldcancerday for a suggested donation of £2.

• The money raised through Unity Band donations will help fund more research, more treatments and more cures and help save more lives.

• Social media hashtag: #UnityBand

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