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Largest cancer research network launched

18/06/2008

The largest patient-based cancer research resource in the world has been launched today that charities hope could lead to better ways of treating cancer.

Millions of NHS cancer records will be brought together under the National Cancer Intelligence Network (NCIN) to enable researchers to study more comprehensively than ever before the impact of cancer.

Current data collection focuses on recording diagnoses and deaths from cancer but the NCIN will attempt to understand the cancer journey of each individual patient and enable researchers to make more detailed studies of trends in cancer to understand the risks and causes of the disease.

It is hoped that the data will also be used to raise standards of cancer care by highlighting areas of cancer services that need improvement.

Within the coming year new and original figures on cancer – for example on cancer in different ethnic groups - are expected to be produced.

Professor Mike Richards, the government's national cancer director, said the NCIN should improve understanding of cancer and patient outcomes.

NCIN head Chris Carrigan, said: "This initiative will bring us an invaluable amount of information on the journey of each cancer patient.

"Monitoring treatments and patterns of care given to an individual patient is vital in helping us understand how best to deliver cancer services in the future."

Cancer Research UK has welcomed the launch of the NCIN, describing it as an "exciting project".