Patients in rural Wales are to be given the chance to try out new cancer drugs and treatments as the network of hospitals taking part in clinical trials is expanded.

Four hospitals are joining a testing programme which currently only extends to centres in north and south Wales.

Cancer patients who are within a clinical trial tend to do better

Sir Paul Nurse, Cancer Research UK Cymru

Patients in Merthyr Tydfil, Aberystwyth, Abergavenny, and Haverfordwest, will be able to try out new drugs from September as part of the Wales Clinical Trials Network.

Specialist nurses from the network, trained in advising on medication, will be responsible for recruiting patients for the trials.

Across Wales, around 1,000 cancer patients are already taking part in clinical trials.

Bill Baldock from Blaenavon has been helping with drugs trials and said he would recommend other patients to do the same.

"I would advise anyone in my situation to go on trials, because you get first-class treatment and you're regularly monitored," he said.

But with up to 15,000 new cases of cancer diagnosed each year, specialists in Wales are hoping to be able to offer one in 10 patients the chance to take part by 2005.

The network started with four nurses four years ago who were based in Bangor, Cardiff, Rhyl and Swansea.

Since then, the number of patients participating in trials has trebled.

Much valuable research is being done thanks to trials

WCTN director Professor Tim Maughan said increasing participation by an extra 10% would be a major achievement.

"This figure would represent the highest recruitment levels for adult cancer patients in the UK, putting Wales at the top of the league.

"This new phase for WCTN is good news for cancer patients today and in the future.

"It will help us reach more people, particularly in rural areas."

Health Minister Jane Hutt described excellence in research was a "vital element" in ensuring the best treatment for Welsh patients.

Cancer Research UK Cymru chief executive Sir Paul Nurse said finding the move would speed up the process of finding new treatments.

"Cancer patients who are within a clinical trial tend to do better than patients with a similar stage and type of cancer who are not involve in a cancer trial," he added.