Cancer projects receive �1m boost

The money will be used to fund "groundbreaking research" projects

Research projects into the causes of cancer have received �1m from a charity leading the fight against the disease.

Cancer Research Wales is distributing money raised by fund-raisers from across the nation last year.

The money will be used to fund "groundbreaking research" projects in north, south and west Wales.

Among the schemes benefitting will be the Wales Cancer Bank, which collects samples of infected tissue and blood, and research into cervical cancer.

The cash announcement was made by Maggie Hughes, the director of the Cancer Research Wales, which is separate from Cancer Research UK.

Set up in 1966, all money raised by Cancer Research Wales, which is based in Cardiff's Velindre Hospital, is spent in Wales.

Tumours

Ms Hughes revealed that about �600,000 would be donated to the Wales Cancer Bank, which has bases in Cardiff, Swansea, Bangor, Newport and Haverfordwest.

The bank aims to collect samples of tumours, normal tissue and blood from all patients in Wales where cancer is a possible diagnosis.

Malcolm Mason, Cancer Research Wales' professor of oncology, who is also director of the Wales Cancer Bank, said: "This money will help us further towards our goal of being able to take donations from patients from across the country, who have, or are suspected to have, cancer, for use in the future."

The money will also be used to fund ongoing research projects into cervical cancer in Wales, including groundbreaking research into the prevalence of the human papillomavirus (HPV) in women aged between 20 and 22, which is thought to be behind the majority of cervical cancer cases.

Research into colorectal (colon or large bowel) cancer, which affects more than 2,000 a year, will also receive funding.

Other projects funded by Cancer Research Wales this year include research into prostate, breast and ovarian cancer, as well as funding Phd students to study in Wales.

Ms Hughes said: "We're delighted to present this �1m to such exciting research projects across the whole of Wales.

"We'd also like to thank the people of Wales, who through a host of sponsored walks, runs, treks, skydives, bucket collections and events, have helped to raise this fantastic amount of money."

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