Glasgow scientists awarded £1.5m for radiotherapy research

The Cancer Research UK (CRUK) Glasgow RadNet team will receive the funding over the next five years.

Their aim is to find new ways to increase the effectiveness of radiotherapy to improve outcomes in patients, particularly those with cancers which are hard to treat such as lung cancer, glioblastoma, head and neck cancers, mesothelioma, and cancers of the pancreas and rectum.

The RadNet Glasgow team is already making important contributions to lung cancer research through the CRUK-funded CONCORDE trial, which is combining radiotherapy with new molecular targeted drugs to improve treatment outcomes without worsening lung patients’ side effects.

Professor Anthony Chalmers said the funding will help them continue their work bringing the next generation of radiotherapy treatments to patients sooner (Image: Cancer Research UK) Over the next five years, the team will use the new funding to investigate emerging areas of research, with a particular focus on the effects of cancer metabolism on responses to radiotherapy.

Another key focus will be the effect of social deprivation on outcomes for patients receiving radiotherapy.

Professor Anthony Chalmers of the University of Glasgow, who leads the programme, said: "This funding will help us continue our work bringing the next generation of radiotherapy treatments to patients sooner.

"We aim to develop new radiotherapy technologies and treatment combinations to help more people survive cancer, with fewer side effects and to have a better quality of life after treatment."

Dr Iain Foulkes, executive director of research and innovation at CRUK, said: “Radiotherapy is a cornerstone of cancer medicine, with around 3 in 10 patients receiving it as part of their treatment.

“By investing in this area, we are enabling scientists to combine advances in our understanding of cancer biology with cutting-edge technology to make this treatment more precise and effective than ever before.”