Setting Research Priorities for the Less Survivable Cancers

11th November 2019

Guts UK is a founding member of the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce (LSCT), campaigning to double the 5-year survival rates of the six least survivable cancers from 14% to 28% by 2029 #28by29.

The central challenge to doubling the 5-year survival over the next decade is addressing the slow progress of research. Therefore, to start to deliver treatment breakthroughs and transform survival we need to remove the current barriers to research that are currently impeding progress.

The deadliest forms of the disease account for half of all common cancer deaths, they receive just 7 per cent of research spending on cancer in the UK. in 2007-2016, the most survivable cancers received 5x more funding overall combined than the less survivable cancers.

The Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce sought to identify and understand the barriers to the research of LSCs. Research leads across the six charities that make up the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce (LSCT) were invited to take part in a survey, with the responses analysed, and a number of themes and potential recommendations were determined.

The report sets out five recommendations to reduce the barriers to research for the LSCs through: