Critical cancer trials that were derailed by the Covid pandemic have re-started at a world-leading research centre in Glasgow.
In common with every other cancer centre in the UK, trials at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre were suspended as lockdown led to laboratory shut-downs.
More than 400 health research trials involving up to 10,000 patients have now re-started along with 51 new ones as part of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde's recovery plan. The board was one of the first in the UK to re-commence research projects.
Around 140 are related to cancer research and include the first UK for a trial of a new cervical cancer drug, tiragolumab, which works by stimulating the body’s immune system to fight against the cancer, an approach which is said to have proven effective for patients with other cancers, such as melanoma, bladder, kidney and lung cancer.
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The health board say the trials support the aim of the research teams at the Beatson finding a trial for every patient at every stage of their disease.
Other trials include research into a wide range of cancers affecting adults, including some of the most complex to treat, such as cancers of the pancreas, brain, ovary and cervix.
It is estimated that two out of five people will develop cancer in their lifetime and, in Scotland, the risk of dying from cancer has fallen by 10% in the past 10 years.
Much of this improvement is said to relate to achievements in early diagnosis and treatment, which have been driven by the results of clinical trials.
However the pandemic has placed advances at risk. The charity Cancer Research warned in June that it could be forced to cut £150 million each year from research funding due to pandemic incurred losses.
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Professor Rob Jones, of Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, said: “In line with every other cancer centre in the UK, we had to temporarily close many of our research trials where there were possible risks that new treatments might have on the progress of the virus or where the patients were considered particularly vulnerable.
“We were able to continue trial participation for some patients where it was essential for their care and we were able to safely continue.
“We were amongst the first in the UK to reopen trials as soon as it was safe to do so.
"Many patients depend on trial treatments to manage their disease, often because there are no standard options available."
Hundreds of other trials have also restarted including a stroke study (ATTEST-2) which hit its 1000th recruit last week, and a dietary approach study into Crohn’s disease.
The health board has also been leading research aimed at preventing or treating Covid-19 including participating in RECOVERY, which found the first effective treatment of the virus, and the Oxford University vaccine trial.
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