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Lung cancer research at UCL/UCLH sets standards of care

Summary of the impact

UCL has conducted a series of national lung cancer trials, which have led to wide-scale changes in clinical practice. Two trials compared different platinum based therapies, which led to centres switching from using chemotherapy with cisplatin to carboplatin-based chemotherapy instead. Carboplatin can be given as an outpatient, and has fewer side effects, and has been (and still is) recommended as an alternative to cisplatin in the UK and US.

Submitting Institution

University College London

Unit of Assessment

Clinical Medicine

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Oncology and Carcinogenesis

Re-assessment of Cancer risk in Barrett’s oesophagus.

Summary of the impact

Research within the Northern Ireland Barrett's oesophagus Register demonstrated that cancer risk in this disease was substantially lower than previously thought. It identified clinico-pathological characteristics and potential biomarkers that allow Barrett's patients to be stratified into those with higher and lower cancer risk. This research has influenced recommendations from Gastroenterological Associations in the UK and USA and resulted in altered clinical practice nationally and internationally, in which costly routine endoscopic surveillance is now targeted to Barrett's oesophagus patients with the highest cancer risk.

Submitting Institution

Queen's University Belfast

Unit of Assessment

Public Health, Health Services and Primary Care

Summary Impact Type

Political

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Clinical Sciences, Public Health and Health Services

Case study 5. New systems for patient self-reporting improve care and quality of life for cancer patients

Summary of the impact

Researchers at the University of Leeds have designed and developed new approaches and technologies for cancer patients to self-assess their symptoms and quality of life. The work focused on electronic methods for collecting patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), developing PROMs for neglected areas of patient care, and running trials of these techniques. These approaches produced sizeable patient benefits including improved symptom control and better quality-of-life. These findings have influenced clinical guidelines in the UK and Canada, NHS policy and the endorsement of PROMs in the Health and Social Care Act (2012). Electronic PROMs systems based on the Leeds research have been implemented locally, nationally and internationally, making measurable improvements to patient welfare and health, such as a reported significant increase in completion of chemotherapy treatment.

Submitting Institution

University of Leeds

Unit of Assessment

Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Nursing, Public Health and Health Services

Cancer survival: impact on cancer control policy in England

Summary of the impact

The core target in the government's national strategy for cancer control in England is to `save 5,000 lives a year by 2015'. This target was taken directly from research done by LSHTM showing that 10,000 cancer-related deaths per annum would be avoidable if five-year relative survival were as high as the highest levels observed in Europe. Current government strategy is entirely focused around `halving the gap' in avoidable premature cancer deaths identified in this research, which also forms the basis for England's National Awareness and Early Diagnosis Initiative.

Submitting Institution

London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

Unit of Assessment

Public Health, Health Services and Primary Care

Summary Impact Type

Political

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services

Use of aspirin and high dietary fibre to prevent and reduce deaths from bowel and other cancers, influencing global policy on cancer prevention and major public health campaigns (‘five-a-day’)

Summary of the impact

Thousands of people across the world with a genetic predisposition (HNPCC) to bowel cancer, together with the population at large, have benefited from research on aspirin and dietary fibre undertaken at the University of Bristol since 1993. Clinical trials involving the Bristol group show that the incidence of bowel cancer has fallen in HNPCC patients who take aspirin. Moreover, aspirin use after diagnosis of bowel cancer has reduced colorectal cancer mortality. Furthermore, a high fibre diet also lowers the risk of bowel cancer. These studies led to national public health initiatives (such as the `five-a-day' campaign) that have been instrumental in increasing public awareness of the importance of aspirin and dietary fibre in reducing the risk of bowel cancer, and in establishing international guidelines on dietary advice.

Submitting Institution

University of Bristol

Unit of Assessment

Clinical Medicine

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Oncology and Carcinogenesis

Transforming care for cancer survivors

Summary of the impact

There are currently 2 million cancer survivors in the UK. This is predicted to become 6 million by 2050 — by which time more than 50% of the UK population are expected to have experienced a cancer diagnosis. Our research and expertise have been central to the creation of the Department of Health's National Cancer Survivorship Initiative (NCSI), and framing policy more widely to respond to this challenge. It has provided evidence of the wide-ranging impact of the disease following cancer treatment, and has led to new models of cancer aftercare being implemented across the UK and internationally. Our research has linked directly to policy and practice through Professor Jessica Corner's membership of the NCSI Steering Group, as co-chair of the Department of Health's Cancer Patient Experience Advisory Group, and through our partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support.

Submitting Institution

University of Southampton

Unit of Assessment

Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy

Summary Impact Type

Political

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services

Cancer Treatment

Summary of the impact

Collaborative research conducted by the Biological Sciences Research Group (BSRG) has brought considerable benefits for the treatment of cancer patients. Experimental research has shown that the shelf-life of the biological cancer drug Herceptin can be greatly extended thereby bringing significant economic benefit through cost savings. A clinical trial has demonstrated that yoga benefits the health and well-being of patients with gynaecological cancer leading to prospects of improved cancer survivorship. Sowter provides research-informed oncology training for NHS clinical trials staff throughout the National Institute of Cancer Research UK network (NCRN), and has supervised two senior registrars through their MD qualifications.

Submitting Institution

University of Derby

Unit of Assessment

Biological Sciences

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Clinical Sciences, Oncology and Carcinogenesis, Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Evidence-based primary care interventions to improve health benefits in cancer care

Summary of the impact

Bangor University staff (Neal & Wilkinson) are core members of a collaboration whose research since 2003 has had significant policy relevance and impact in the field of primary care oncology. Impact has been made in three areas:

  • The role of primary care in the earlier diagnosis of symptomatic cancer; for example by determining the predictive value of symptoms and translating this into Risk Assessment Tools for clinical practice
  • The contribution of primary care to cancer follow-up and the management of survivorship; for example by changing practice by illuminating poor care in prostate cancer
  • Empowering patients through communication of new cancer-related science in primary care; for example by developing core messages for use in communication about HPV.

Submitting Institution

Bangor University

Unit of Assessment

Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Clinical Sciences, Public Health and Health Services

3. Development and implementation of a new psychological intervention for cancer patients to alleviate heightened fears of recurrence

Summary of the impact

Fears of recurrence (FoR) are the major concern for cancer patients. The Adjustment of Fear, Threat or Expectation of a Recurrence (AFTER) was initiated in Liverpool and developed significantly at the University of St Andrews by the originator (Prof. Humphris) and colleague Dr Ozakinci for general cancer patients, including an innovative validated Fear of Recurrence measure. The measure identifies patients with high FoR in NHS oncology services to enable psychological therapeutic treatments to be targeted. AFTER is being widely employed with cancer survivors successfully in UK cancer services and international oncology centres to reduce their FoR and depression.

Submitting Institution

University of St Andrews

Unit of Assessment

Clinical Medicine

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services
Psychology and Cognitive Sciences: Psychology

Improving the health and wellbeing of cancer survivors

Summary of the impact

Improvements in therapy have increased the 5-year survival rate for a number of cancers, leading to a new focus on promoting the health and wellbeing of cancer survivors. In the UK alone, over 500,000 people have physical or psychological consequences associated with cancer or its treatment.

Research at the University of Surrey has led to the development of self-management interventions for cancer survivors, demonstrating that active patient involvement leads to significant health and wellbeing benefits. These studies have driven national and international practice policy in the management of the consequences of cancer and its treatment.

Submitting Institution

University of Surrey

Unit of Assessment

Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services

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