Leeds cancer scientists to lead way in next generation of radiotherapy research

Led by Professor David Sebag-Montefiore, experts from the University of Leeds and the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, are set to receive £3.5 million over the next five years to fund advances in radiotherapy research, including the use of artificial intelligence with imaging technology.

Leeds has been chosen to be one of just seven Centres of Excellence in a UK-wide network, RadNet, that will accelerate advances in radiotherapy research. Other centres will be located in Manchester, Cambridge, Oxford, Glasgow and London.

Radiotherapy is a precise treatment that is given to patients as an out-patient on a daily basis. In its simplest form, it uses high energy X-ray radiation beams to selectively kill cancer cells by irreversibly damaging their DNA, while minimising the effect on the surrounding normal tissues.

Cancer Research UK supported some of the earliest research into the treatment of cancer with radiation, and pioneered the first use of radiotherapy in the 1920s.

Today, the Leeds Cancer Centre, based at St James's University Hospital, is one of the largest radiotherapy centres in the UK. It treats more than 7,400 new cancer patients from across the region every year. Radiotherapy is used in over 40% of patients cured of their cancer.

Directed by Professor David Sebag-Montefiore, the research at the Leeds Centre of Excellence will combine the use of artificial intelligence, magnetic resonance imaging and new drugs with radiotherapy, focussing on patients with anal, rectal, prostate, liver and brain cancers.

The support of the Hospital's Leeds Cares charity played a key role in the successful bid for the Centre of Excellence funding. It raised £2.4 million to purchase a dedicated MRI Simulator, a critical piece of equipment to allow patients to have MRI scans performed in the radiotherapy department. This will be the first MRI Simulator to be installed in Yorkshire.

Professor Sebag-Montefiore said: "We are very proud that Leeds has been awarded this grant to bring the next generation of radiotherapy treatments to patients sooner, helping to save the lives of more people with cancer in Yorkshire."

"Using artificial intelligence analysis of the MRI scans will help us to tailor future treatment for patients and reduce side effects, resulting in new, precise and personalised treatments - and a better quality of life afterwards - in the next five to ten years.

"Working with other colleagues in imaging, computing and AI disciplines, and combining research excellence across different areas of science, will allow us to deliver this in the quickest timeframe.

"This funding from Cancer Research UK will help us accelerate our development of new and advanced radiotherapy techniques, leading to the best treatment approaches for patients across a broad range of cancers, challenging the boundaries of this mainstay treatment through world-first exploratory projects and taking our research in Leeds to an internationally-leading level.

"It will also fund 13 new researcher posts and strengthen Leeds's position as an excellent destination to train the next generation of researchers.

Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: "Radiotherapy is a cornerstone of cancer medicine, with around 3 in 10 patients receiving it as part of their treatment. The launch of our network marks a new era of radiotherapy research in the UK. Scientists will combine advances in our understanding of cancer biology with cutting-edge technology to make this treatment more precise and effective than ever before".

Sir Alan Langlands, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leeds, said: "Achieving the status of a Cancer Research UK Centre of Excellence is important recognition of our overall commitment to excellence in cancer care and the science which underpins it, in particular the outstanding quality and impact of radiotherapy research in Leeds. Improving cancer outcomes is at the heart of our research strategy and radiotherapy plays a crucially important role in increasing survival rates for a broad range of cancers."

Yvette Oade, Deputy Chief Executive of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "Leeds Cancer Centre treats over 7,400 new cancer patients each year with radiotherapy, and at Leeds Teaching Hospitals we are fully committed to providing the best integrated care and helping to accelerate the development of new and better treatments.

"We promote and support excellence in clinical work along with the research that creates new and exciting treatments and creating a new Centre of Excellence will help more of our patients survive cancer in the future. We are proud to work in partnership with the University of Leeds and charities like Cancer Research UK and Leeds Cares to make all of this possible."

Nicki Embleton, Cancer Research UK spokesperson for Yorkshire, said: "This award is fantastic recognition of the world leading radiotherapy research taking place here in Leeds, which will help shape a better future for people with cancer in Yorkshire through new technologies and treatments.

"People in the city have every right to feel proud of the ground-breaking research being carried out on their doorstep, and of their fundraising efforts, which are helping to beat the disease."

She continued: "Every hour, around three people are diagnosed with cancer in Yorkshire and The Humber*****. That's why we're working every day to find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat the disease."

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