Cancer Research UK's great strength is in understanding cancer. To build on this, our research portfolio must remain broad and balanced while allowing enough room to cope with the advent of new technologies and advances. We need to take the lead in areas that are currently lacking. We must enhance our programmes in early detection, screening and prevention. We also need to invest in areas with the highest levels of unmet medical need, such as oesophageal and pancreatic cancers, and other cancer types with the poorest outcomes.
We have identified for ourselves a niche in understanding the disease and in the middle of the 'basic-to-clinical' research spectrum. We will therefore focus our research on the understanding of cancer, through to the treatment of cancer. For current work outside our chosen areas of focus, we will seek a managed transition to other research funders.
Areas where Cancer Research UK support will discontinue include: palliative care (other than as part of treatment management); end of life care; psychosocial oncology; survivorship (with the exception of research focused on long-term effects of cancer treatment and secondary cancers in survivors); discharge/return to normal life; living with cancer, depression, quality of life, complementary therapies.
In addition we do not intend to expand our interests into: areas downstream of treatment; service delivery; emotional and practical support for patients (although we will continue to provide patient information - as described in the five-year Charity strategy); international work (except where there is a strategic reason to do so); work outside cancer.
