Current research into personalised medicine

In Birmingham, Professor Gary Middleton is leading the National Lung Matrix Trial. It’s testing new treatments for non-small cell lung cancer that are targeted to specific genetic faults in tumours, to tackle individual cancers. The trial has a flexible design, meaning patients who are participating have access to new treatments as they’re developed. These treatments will be matched to the specific genetic faults in their tumours, personalising the treatment for each patient.

Professor Andrew Pettitt in Liverpool is focussed on follicular lymphoma, the most common form of low-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He is testing if a new scan that measures the activity of tumours can help doctors decide how much treatment each patient needs. He is also leading several clinical trials to find the best combination of treatment specifically for older people with the disease.

Developing ways to monitor and understand an individual's cancer will help tailor treatments to each patient. Professor Caroline Dive is working with the Christie Hospital in Manchester to develop a blood test to hunt for ‘free’ cancer cells that have broken away from a tumour and entered the bloodstream. This blood test could help understand how lung cancer changes as it grows and spreads, and why sometimes treatment stops working. The researchers hope this could allow them to develop new treatments and tailor treatment for each patient.