Brain Tumour Campaign

Health Minister announces new measures for brain tumour research

• Seek to improve levels of earlier diagnosis and include brain cancer in the Genomics England programme
• Request the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) to produce a national register within a year to examine how public funds are spent on research
• Set up a “Task and Finish” working group at the Department of Health looking at areas highlighted by the Petitions Committee report.

Background: the parliamentary debate and report

• Awareness and diagnosis
• Funding levels
• Barriers to research
• Setting research priorities
• Burden of disease
• Availability of non-therapeutic drugs.

Background: Why increased funding for brain tumour research is so important

• Brain and spinal cord tumours are the most common solid tumour to occur in children, with around 400 new cases every year in the UK
• Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease since 2002
• Brain tumours are one of the most common cancers to affect children and young people
• Many survivors of childhood brain tumours are left with life-altering, long term disabilities
• Incidences of brain tumours are increasing
• Research into brain tumours, in general, and childhood brain tumours, in particular, has not been well funded in the past, despite the very high burden imposed by these tumours.

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