Today, the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce (LSCT) has revealed alarming findings highlighting a critical lack of research funding for common but less survivable cancers. This stark imbalance is contributing to extremely poor outcomes for patients.
Information, obtained from a series of Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, shows that research into the less survivable cancers - those of the brain, liver, lung, oesophagus, pancreas or stomach - receives less than one-fifth (18.92%) of all government-funded cancer research despite them accounting for nearly 40% of all common cancer deaths in the UK.
This disparity in funding reflects a situation where less survivable cancers receive approximately £130 less in research funding per cancer death compared to the average across all cancers - with some, like oesophageal, receiving as little as £40 per death (compared to an average of £310 across other cancers).
Over 95,000 people are diagnosed with one of the less survivable cancers in the UK every year and today’s news underscores the urgent need for increased investment into research aimed at improving outcomes for patients.
Figures released by the Taskforce last year found that more than half (61%) of people in Wales diagnosed with one of the six less survivable cancers will die from their disease within one year.
The Taskforce is calling on the Government to recognise the scale of this challenge, reconsider current funding models, remove barriers (such as limited access to and lack of awareness of clinical trials) and incentivise research into less survivable cancers.
Greg Pycroft, Policy and Public Affairs Manager at Tenovus Cancer Care and Chair of the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce Wales subgroup, said:
