Groundbreaking study to investigate why cancer returns in some people and not others

University of SurreyJan 28 2020

An eminent philanthropist and three time cancer survivor Dr James Hull has joined forces with six universities across the country to investigate why cancer returns in some people and not others.

Focusing on patients who have had successful treatment of advanced cancer and in whom the cancer has not reoccurred for at least 5 years, researchers from the University of Surrey, University of Oxford, Cardiff University, Swansea University, University of Manchester and University of Nottingham, as part of the Continuum Long-term Survivor study, will undertake non-invasive investigations of each individuals’ immune systems and tumor cells to identify any unique features which could explain why they have remained cancer free.

Researchers believe that these patients may have proteins on the surface of their tumors which their immune system mistakes as an infection and subsequently destroys the tumor as if fighting an infection. Findings from this study could help revolutionize immunotherapy treatment by targeting different proteins on cancer cells, potentially eliminating cancer recurrence in patients.

As part of this groundbreaking work, researchers will also be examining the composition of bacteria in the stool of long term survivors. Emerging evidence suggests that bacteria in stool may affect the workings of our immune system and its effectiveness in dealing with infections. Researchers hypothesize that the survivors will have a different composition of bacteria in their bowel than healthy volunteers and those currently with cancer.

Figures from Cancer Research UK indicate that there are around 363,000 new cancer cases in the UK every year. It is likely that a high percentage of those diagnosed will have a reoccurrence of the disease within two years of finishing treatment however why cancer returns in some patients and not others remains a mystery to physicians.

Professor of Medical Oncology at the University of Surrey, Hardev Pandha said:

Advances in care have resulted in more people than ever surviving the disease. It is gratifying to see such results however this joy is often dampened by the possibility of the cancer returning in patients.

Patients with spread of their cancer outside the organ where it started have a guarded prognosis, and the cancer generally comes back within a few years. Currently it is impossible for us to know if/when cancer will return in these patients, and which are the tiny group who have complete resolution for their widespread cancer then remain cancer free for the rest of their lives. We want to know why this happens and if there is something unique that occurs in the immune system of patients who remain cancer free.”

James Hull, philanthropist and CEO and Founder of Continuum Life Sciences, a cancer research company which is striving to find a cure for cancer and who has made this study possible with numerous financial awards to the universities mentioned, said:

I am very grateful to be a cancer survivor and wholeheartedly thank all those involved in my treatment journey. I want to find out everything we can about this devastating illness to spare future generations the difficulties I have gone through in my fight against cancer.

Bringing together the best cancer experts in the country and equipping them with the resources they need is one way I can do this and I am very excited to see what they uncover.”

Recruitment for this innovative study remains open. If you have had an aggressive, locally advanced and/or metastatic cancer which resolved completely with treatment and have remained free of the disease without maintenance treatment for 5 years or longer we would like to talk to you. Please email [email protected] or alternatively call on the free phone number 0800 144 8488.