Brain Tumour Research

Almost ¾ of brain tumour deaths occur in those under 75. For cancer as a whole it is less than a half. Yet brain cancer continues to receive less than 1% of the national spend on cancer research. A report by Brain Tumour Research shows that treatments for brain tumours lag seriously behind other cancers. The consequence of brain tumours striking so young is the average tumour is responsible for over 20 years of life lost, making it the most lethal cancer by this measure. This petition calls on the Government to take action to: • Prioritise deaths under 75 in the government’s cancer funding • Devote a consistent or growing absolute figure to brain cancer research • Introduce a national register of site-specific cancer research to track all research grants and research work, ensuring transparency of funding arrangements • Consider the question of curing brain tumours in terms of research spend necessary for other cancers:around £30-£35 million per annum over a ten year time-frame

As this e-petition has received more than 10 000 signatures, the relevant Government department have provided the following response:

The Government and charities work closely together in brain tumour research and other fields of cancer research through the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI). Factors influencing the level of research funding are discussed in Strategic Analysis 2002: An overview of Cancer Research in the UK directly funded by the NCRI Partner Organisations, which can be accessed by going to www.ncri.org.uk and searching for ‘Strategic Analysis 2002’.

There are a number of factors that dictate the level of research funding into a particular issue. These include:

· scientific opportunity – this can be very important. In particular, developments in fundamental research and the introduction of new technologies often stimulate new approaches;

· the burden of disease – the incidence and severity of a type of cancer will influence both researchers and funders;

· ‘researchability’ – some types of tumour are easier to work on than others but can often provide a model system for different cancers. Many researchers are attracted to areas or diseases where there is real evidence or potential for progress;

· fundraising – certain types of cancer may attract more public donations than others; and

· the quality and size of the research workforce – because of the issues already mentioned, some areas attract more high-quality researchers than other areas. This will undoubtedly affect the number of quality proposals received by funding bodies.