Our research history

For more than 50 years, Tenovus Cancer Care played an important role in funding cancer research, supporting projects between 1967 and 2020 that helped advance our understanding of cancer and contributed to new ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat the disease.

While we no longer fund cancer research, our commitment to improving the lives of people affected by cancer remains unchanged. Today, we focus on providing support services, campaigning for better cancer care, and finding innovative ways to improve outcomes and experiences for people living with cancer across Wales.

The Tenovus Institute for Cancer Research

On 14 April 1967 the Tenovus Institute for Cancer Research opened at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. Opened by HRH Princess Margaret, the Institute became home to world-leading cancer researchers whose work would go on to influence cancer treatment across the globe.

Leading the way in antibody therapies

In 1972, researchers funded by Tenovus Cancer Care in Southampton helped pioneer the use of antibodies to target cancer cells. Their work identified ways to isolate proteins on the surface of cancer cells and develop antibodies that could recognise and attack them. This ground breaking research laid the foundations for modern antibody therapies, which are now used to treat thousands of people with cancer every day.

Supporting the development of Tamoxifen and Zoladex

One of Tenovus Cancer Care's most significant contributions to breast cancer research came in the 1970s with the development of Tamoxifen, now one of the world's most widely used breast cancer treatments.

In 1973, Dr Arthur Walpole of ICI Pharmaceuticals contacted the Tenovus Institute for Cancer Research to investigate whether an experimental contraceptive drug, known as ICI46474, could have an effect on breast cancer cells. Working alongside Dr Walpole and his colleague Dora Richardson, researchers at the Institute demonstrated in 1975 that the drug could prevent the growth of breast cancer cells.

The drug later became known as Tamoxifen and went on to revolutionise breast cancer treatment worldwide. Today, it remains one of the most successful and widely used breast cancer drugs ever developed, helping to improve and save the lives of countless women.

Researchers at the Institute also contributed to the development of ICI118630, later named Zoladex, through the postgraduate research of Kerry Walker. Zoladex went on to become an important treatment for both breast cancer and prostate cancer patients and is still used around the world today.

Revolutionising the treatment of Leukaemia

In 1999, Tenovus Cancer Care-funded researchers Professor Terry Hamblin and Professor Freda Stevenson discovered that chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) consisted of two distinct forms of the disease.

Their work led to a simple genetic test that helped doctors identify which patients required treatment and which did not, transforming care for people diagnosed with CLL.

This work earned Professor Hamlin the prestigious Binet-Rai medal for his outstanding contribution to research into chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) from The International Workshop on Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia.

Advancing breast and prostate cancer research

In 2011, Tenovus Cancer Care funded research that helped improve understanding of both breast and prostate cancer, with a focus on preventing cancer from spreading and improving early detection.

PhD student Dr Luke Piggott investigated breast cancer stem cells, which can resist treatment and cause cancer to return or spread to other parts of the body. His research found that a drug called TRAIL could overcome this drug resistance, achieving a 98% reduction in secondary tumours in laboratory studies. The findings offered promising insights into future treatments aimed at preventing the recurrence and spread of breast cancer.

At the same time, PhD student Dr Tim Wanger explored new ways to detect prostate cancer and predict how aggressively it might develop. His work identified a protein called TROP2 as a potential marker for prostate cancer stem cells, helping to improve understanding of the disease and paving the way for more effective diagnosis and treatment in the future.

Innovation, involvement and implementation

In 2010 we began funding research outside the lab, which looked at how we could improve the quality of life for people living, with and beyond cancer. These exciting research projects called iGrants, began looking into what information, services, support and therapies are available to cancer patients and their families, as well as improving clinical processes and the use of new technology.

Research into the benefits of singing

In 2011, Tenovus Cancer Care began researching the impact of singing on people affected by cancer. The study showed clear benefits for both patients and their families, leading to the expansion of our Sing with Us choirs across Wales through a £1 million Big Lottery Grant, which enabled us to establish 15 new choirs.

Over the following decade, we continued to grow the programme and carry out further research into the physical and emotional benefits of group singing. This included a major study in partnership with the Royal College of Music in London, launched in 2015, which explored whether singing in our choirs had measurable biological effects. The findings were shared through our ‘More than Singing’ research in 2016 and reinforced the positive impact of creative interventions on wellbeing.

Our involvement in research today

We no longer fund cancer research projects. Following a strategic review, we stopped funding new research in 2020 and now focus our resources on providing support services, campaigning, and influencing change for people affected by cancer in Wales.

While we do not directly fund research, we remain committed to ensuring that cancer research has the greatest possible impact. We continue to support organisations that fund and deliver cancer research to help improve outcomes for people affected by cancer.

We believe that the experiences and insights of people affected by cancer should help shape both research and policy. Through our campaigning and influencing work, we advocate for greater public involvement in decision-making and research priorities.

To support this, we launched the All-Wales Cancer Community in 2022, creating opportunities for people affected by cancer to influence research, policy, and services across Wales.