Pancreatic cancer causes 5% of cancer deaths but receives only 1% of research funding in the UK (NCRI Strategic Analysis 2002).Through its grant giving programme, Pancreatic Cancer UK is determined to change this.

Because there is so little funding at the moment for pancreatic cancer research, we believe that providing ANY additional funding is vital as long as the research is of the highest quality.  By providing new funding, and encouraging additional and partnership funding from other sources (eg MRC), we are committed to increasing the focus on this neglected research area.

We particularly want to add value by addressing two key challenges: early detection/diagnosis and more effective treatment of pancreatic cancers.

Survival rates for pancreatic cancer are extremely low – 4-6 months on average after diagnosis, with the 5 year survival rates less than 3%. One of the main reasons for this is that pancreatic cancer is very difficult to diagnose early because the pancreas is buried so deep within the body and the symptoms are vague and various. This means that most people are diagnosed at a late stage in the disease, mostly too late for surgery because the cancer has already spread to other parts of the body.

PCUK is committed to increasing the funding for all research into pancreatic cancer. We are conscious, however, of the particularly acute problems with early detection and diagnosis. We are also dedicated to listening to our supporters, whose generosity and efforts have enabled us to commence our research programme this year. Their personal experiences, particularly those of bereaved families, tell us that the words ‘too late’ are often the most devastating part of a pancreatic cancer diagnosis.

One focus area for our research strategy will therefore be how pancreatic cancer can be detected and diagnosed early enough to save lives.

We are aware of the fact that treatment regimes for pancreatic cancer are currently ineffective. We are therefore open to funding research aimed at optimising and developing more effective and less toxic treatments for pancreatic cancers, with a special focus on those forms of the disease which have a particularly poor prognosis.

Pancreatic Cancer UK is an independent charity so we can ensure that we add as much value as possible to pancreatic cancer research. In both the above areas of research, we therefore have two additional objectives:

• To support innovative new research areas as appropriate
• To attract new research talent into the field of pancreatic cancer to build the research body and provide future leadership

Pancreatic Cancer UK awards grants to research groups and institutions across the UK

To ensure that funds raised are spent as effectively as possible, a PCUK Research Grant Advisory Committee has now been fully established. The Committee provides expert advice to the CEO and Trustees on:

• external referees for applications
  
• assessment of and final recommendations on applications
  
• reporting and dissemination of research results
  
• development of research strategy and grant giving programme, as required
  
• supporting the PCUK medical and scientific advisors on other medical or scientific issues arising for the charity outside the research grant giving process that require expert input.

We are delighted that a number of other distinguished international experts in the field have agreed to become members of the committee, as follows:

• Prof James L. Abbruzzese. Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas M, Houston, USA
  
• Prof Aldo Scarpa. Dipartimento di Patologia, Università di Verona, Verona, Italy
  
• Prof Francisco X. Real. Programa de Patología Molecular, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas, Madrid, Spain
  
• Prof Andrew Biankin. Head of Pancreatic Cancer Research Group, Cancer Research Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, Australia
  
• Prof Akira Horii. Department of Molecular Pathology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
  
• Prof Helmut Friess. Department of Surgery, Technische Universität München, Germany

help us by providing information that can help to determine future research and service improvement requirements by downloading a Pancreatic Cancer Survivorship Patient Survey form completing it and returning it to Pancreatic Cancer UK

More Information on Pancreatic cancer research in the UK