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22 December 2011

Groundbreaking cancer trials centre launched in Dundee

The launch of a new centre to run clinical trials of the newest cancer treatments will put Dundee at the forefront of cancer research and bring benefits to patients in the area.

The newly-created joint Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre (ECMC)*, is the latest addition to the ECMC network of 18 UK centres, which are jointly funded by Cancer Research UK and the Departments of Health in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

The patients taking part in these early trials cannot usually be helped by existing treatments, such as conventional surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. As such they have few treatment options and may even have months and sometimes only weeks to live. The ECMC network provides treatment options for these patients, and underpins the development of treatments which may help many patients in the future.

The Dundee centre will twin with the existing ECMC at Edinburgh. This joint centre will receive a grant** based on its scientific and clinical excellence.

Professor Alastair Thompson, director of the ECMC at the University of Dundee, said, " We are delighted that the Dundee Cancer Centre is linking with Edinburgh to build on their significant achievements to date. This important new centre will bring together cancer doctors, research nurses and laboratory scientists to make clinical trials of new cancer treatments quicker and easier in Dundee and the rest of the UK.

'Dundee is home to world-leading scientists and doctors who have made great progress in developing new cancer treatments. This support will boost our vital work, enabling us to move towards our goal to increase cancer survival.'

The joint ECMC will have a particular focus on trials to treat breast cancer, bowel cancer, skin cancer and ovarian cancer as well as studies to improve imaging techniques to detect cancer.

May Williamson, 53, of Fintry, Dundee, is grateful to Cancer Research UK scientists in Dundee as she is responding well to a treatment she has been receiving as part of an early stage drug trial.

The grandmother was originally diagnosed with breast cancer five years ago. This was initially treated successfully with surgery and chemotherapy. However, in March last year, May became unwell and doctors discovered that the cancer had returned and had spread to her liver.

Treatment with chemotherapy and Herceptin proved effective for a time, however, in January, she was given the devastating news that the drug was no longer working.

May decided to take up the opportunity to enter into an early stage research trial for a drug called TDM1 which she receives at the Ugo Stefani Clinical Trials Centre at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee.

May, who worked as a barmaid before she became unwell, said: 'To be told that the treatment you are receiving for cancer is no longer working is absolutely devastating.

'While I try my very best to keep an open and positive outlook, you need to have hope. I’m looking forward to a second grandchild in March and I’m determined to enjoy as much quality time as I can with my family. So far, I’m responding well to this treatment and I really hope that it does prove to be effective.

'I feel lucky that I am able to take part in this trial in Dundee and am glad that researchers here have received this boost which will mean that cancer patients will benefit from new and improved treatments.'

Professor David Harrison, director of the ECMC at the University of Edinburgh, said: 'Through this partnership we’ll be able to broaden the scope of our research into the basic biology of how and why cancers are caused, driving the development of promising and innovative new treatments and supporting more clinical trials.

'This collaboration will also make it easier to develop new tests identifying which patients will benefit most from a given treatment - in effect, tailoring treatment according to the biological characteristics of patients’ tumours - saving lives and helping to make best use of NHS resources.'

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: 'I'm pleased to announce Scotland's continued involvement in the next phase of the Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre initiative.

'Each Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre [ECMC] brings together experts in cancer research with cancer doctors to speed up the flow of ideas from the lab bench to the patient’s bedside.

'Our funding contribution to the Glasgow and Edinburgh/Dundee ECMCs will help to further advance an initiative that is uniquely positioned to develop novel and effective treatments for cancer for years to come.'

Dr Joanna Reynolds, Cancer Research UK’s director of centres, said: "Funding these experimental cancer centres is a priority for the charity.

'The network is completely unique in the world. It enables scientists and doctors to work side-by-side across the UK to improve the treatment for cancer patients across all types of cancer. The result is a clinical trials network that has underpinned the development of some of the most promising and innovative new cancer treatments today.

'Some of these are already on the path to becoming established treatments for future cancer patients.

'It’s thanks to the generous donations we receive from the public that we are able to fund this important work. Survival rates for cancer have doubled over the last 40 years and we must continue to build on this great progress."

For media enquiries, please contact Ailsa Stevens in the Cancer Research UK press office on 020 3469 8300 or, out of hours, 07050 264 059.

Notes to editors:

*ECMC Centres:

  • Belfast
  • Birmingham
  • Cambridge
  • Cardiff
  • Edinburgh and Dundee: joint centre
  • Glasgow
  • Leeds
  • Leicester
  • London Barts and Brighton: joint centre
  • London ICR
  • London Imperial
  • London KCL
  • London UCL
  • Manchester
  • Newcastle
  • Oxford
  • Sheffield
  • Southampton

**The ECMC network launched in 2006 with £35M joint funding for five years until 2011. The network has been awarded a further £35M for the next five years until 2017 to fund centres across the UK. Each centre will receive between £200,000 to £500,000 each year for clinical, laboratory and NHS infrastructure costs.

About the ECMC Network
The Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre (ECMC) network, is jointly supported by Cancer Research UK and the Departments of Health of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It launched in 2006, with £35M funding over five years, with a further £35M announced in 2011 for five more years to fund centres across the UK. Each ECMC brings together lab-based experts in cancer biology with cancer doctors to speed up the flow of ideas from the lab bench to the patient’s bedside. Find out more at www.ecmcnetwork.org.uk

About Cancer Research UK
Cancer Research UK is the world’s leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research.

  • The charity’s groundbreaking work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer has helped save millions of lives. This work is funded entirely by the public.
  • Cancer Research UK has been at the heart of the progress that has already seen survival rates double in the last forty years.
  • Cancer Research UK supports research into all aspects of cancer through the work of over 4,000 scientists, doctors and nurses.
  • Together with its partners and supporters, Cancer Research UK's vision is to beat cancer.

For further information about Cancer Research UK's work or to find out how to support the charity, please call 020 7121 6699 or visit www.cancerresearchuk.org


For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07854 953277