Blood cancer project boost

Scientists at the University of York have been awarded over £3 million to continue a groundbreaking research project which is helping cancer patients in Yorkshire and across the UK. The charity Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research is investing in further development of the Yorkshire & Humberside Haematology Research Network, which has already collected data from over 10,000 blood cancer patients from 14 hospitals across Yorkshire and Humberside. The new investment will help the scientific team, led by Professor Eve Roman of the University’s Department of Health Sciences continue their analysis of this information rich data to provide new insights into what causes blood cancers and which treatments are the most effective.

Professor Roman said: “This project offers us a unique opportunity to guide treatment for patients and discover any genetic, environmental or lifestyle factors which may be contributing to these diseases. Studying blood cancer cells and DNA in patients is essential to moving treatment forward.” Over 28,500 people are diagnosed with a blood cancer each year in the UK and together they are the fourth most common form of cancer in both men and women, but they represent a very diverse group of diseases. The University of York researchers are seeking to understand more about who develops these cancers, and why.