Share this

Latest News

Scottish research is ‘United by Unique’ ambitions on World Cancer Day

Scottish research is ‘United by Unique’ ambitions on World Cancer Day

3rd February 2025

World Cancer Day, taking place this Tuesday (4 February), is set to be ‘United by Unique’ with Scotland’s researchers supporting its drive for improved people-centred care

The annual awareness day will be campaigning for care which meets unique needs with compassion and empathy, offering a “journey from raising awareness to taking action” from 2025-2027.

With its ‘United by Unique’ theme, World Cancer Day organisers, the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), are encouraging the sharing of personal stories and help in shaping the call to action.

Helping to fulfil that aim, NHS Research Scotland has been involved in pioneering, inclusive work, including a patient from Glasgow being the first in the world to take part in a trial of a new treatment regimen in pancreatic cancer, adding a new antibody to standard of care chemotherapy.

This study — open in the UK, Spain, Norway, and Germany and led by Glasgow — is coordinated by Cancer Research UK (CRUK) and arose out of laboratory studies at its Scotland Institute and the University of Glasgow.

Professor Jeff Evans, NRS Cancer Research Network Clinical Lead, Professor of Translational Cancer Research, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow; Honorary Consultant in Medical Oncology at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, Glasgow; and Lead of the Glasgow Adult Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, is the study’s global Chief Investigator and said: “It is great news that we have started giving this treatment to patients enrolled in this study. Pancreatic cancers are very challenging to treat, and patients deserve better treatment options.”

Another success has seen a patient from Dundee becoming the first in Europe on a global trial to be given a personalised cancer therapy, using similar technology to the Covid-19 mRNA vaccine.

Russell Petty, Professor of Medical Oncology at the University of Dundee and Director of Research and Development at NHS Tayside, is leading the clinical trial in Scotland.

He said the very novel treatment approach “could transform the way we treat cancer. Every patient who this works for provides us with more knowledge to improve the way we treat cancer”.

The University of Glasgow and NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde (Professor Jeff Evans and Dr Pavlina Spiliopoulou) is the only UK site that is working on a new treatment for uveal melanoma, a form of melanoma that arises in the eye. The first study has been completed, and this has led on to a multi-centre international study.

Primary liver cancer, also known as hepatocellular cancer, is one of the most common cancers worldwide and is rising rapidly in incidence. The Glasgow team of Professor Jeff Evans and Dr Greg Naylor are working with Medivir on a new drug therapy and will present the final results of the current study later in February at the European Liver Cancer Summit.

The University of Dundee and NHS Tayside became the first hospital site in Europe to open a trial of a new investigational immunotherapy for an aggressive form of lung cancer. The early-stage Phase 2 clinical trial is investigating a new dual targeting antibody treatment candidate in small cell lung cancer, co-developed by BioNTech SE and Biotheus Inc, which aims to engage the patient’s own immune system to eliminate the cancer.

Providing more opportunities for patients to take part in clinical trials across the country is a key driver for NRS with University Hospital Monklands in Lanarkshire and Raigmore Hospital in Inverness leading recruitment in Scotland to the UK-wide RADAR Myeloma study that is looking at treatment strategies in patients who are newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma and are suitable for stem cell transplant. 

Raigmore Hospital has also recruited the first Scottish patient to the PROPEL trial which is analysing the use of personalised prehabilitation in people with acute myeloid leukaemia.

The University of Glasgow and NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde (Professor Patricia Roxburgh and the Genomics Innovation Alliance) lead the IMAGINE trial which is analysing tumour samples to establish a tumour molecular profile which can aid patient selection for specific clinical trials. This study is now open in Edinburgh and Aberdeen which reduces travel times for patients who wish to participate.

Early diagnosis and treatment of cancer is vital, but improving side effects for patients undergoing treatment is also key.

Clinical oncology consultant, Dr Rafael Moleron, a specialist in head and neck cancers, has led a trial at NHS Grampian looking at a new mouthwash medication (NG11-2 by VasoDynamics) to see if it can reduce a side effect called severe Radiation-induced Oral Mucositis (RIOM). Severe RIOM can make patients very sick and make it hard for them to finish their cancer treatment.

Dr Moleron said: “This study addresses an unmet need of patients undergoing radiotherapy for head and neck cancer, and it is hoped this novel approach to the treatment of radiation induced mucositis will hopefully bring new clinical solutions to this patient group.”

The Scottish Government’s Cancer Strategy 2023 to 2033, developed in collaboration with people with lived experience and wider partners, set out a vision “to improve cancer survival and provide excellent, equitably accessible care.” It also committed to building capacity for capacity for research and innovation.

This is vital with around 34,000 people receiving a cancer diagnosis in Scotland and over 16,000 deaths each year. According to Cancer Research UK, the number of Scottish cases is projected to rise by nearly one fifth to around 42,100 new cases per year in 2038-2040.

Nevertheless, according to Cancer Research UK, around 4 in 10 cancer cases in Scotland can be prevented and robust research is essential to accelerating positive progress.

Scotland’s highly developed research infrastructure — including discovery science, Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres, clinical research networks, data safe havens and accredited tissue biorepositories — continues to support the delivery of high-quality cancer research.

Professor Jeff Evans said: “With important breakthroughs continuing to be made in recent times thanks to vital, collaboration-driven cancer research and an innovative mindset, patient outcomes are improving.

“There are many exciting projects underway, and Scotland’s unwavering commitment and expertise remains undiminished in the fight against cancer.

“The Scottish Government’s 10-year Cancer Strategy continues to represent a powerful roadmap with positive commitments to reduce late-stage cancer diagnosis. If fully implemented, it could transform cancer services in Scotland.”

Technology is also playing an incredible part of transforming cancer diagnosis and treatment, including artificial intelligence (AI) being leveraged for the development of a 25-minute skin cancer diagnosis test, analysis of chest X-rays in near real time, and a new screening method that combines laser analysis with AI to identify patients in the earlier stage of breast cancer.

Professor Evans added: “World Cancer Day 2025 is a key reminder of the power of collaboration and of innovative strategies with inclusive trials taking place across the country being pivotal to the effective testing of new treatments.

“Every patient in Scotland affected by cancer must have the ability to contribute to, and the chance to benefit from, vital cancer research.”

For more information, visit the NHS Research Scotland Cancer Network pages.

To find active cancer clinical trials visit Be Part of Research and search by condition, drug, or location.

You can find the campaign on:

Go back to News