Surrey researchers support Government’s New Cancer Plan

In June 2023, the Children's Cancer Priority Setting Partnership, led by the University of Surrey, published the first-ever research priorities shaped directly by children with cancer, survivors and their families. The project gathered nearly 1,300 questions from 488 adults across the UK, plus 71 children, who submitted 252 questions between them. The top priority was to find effective and kinder treatments with fewer short and long-term side effects. 

Today's National Cancer Plan includes a dedicated chapter on children and young people for the first time in England's history. It commits to prioritising research into less toxic, more effective treatments, funding travel costs for families (up to £10 million per year), expanding access to clinical trials and genomic testing, and providing better psychosocial support. The plan aims for 75 per cent of cancer patients diagnosed from 2035 to be cancer-free or living well after five years. 

Susie Aldiss, Research Fellow in the School of Health Sciences at the University of Surrey and co-lead of the Priority Setting Partnership, said: 

"When we published our priorities in 2023, we hoped they would influence how research funding is directed and how policy is shaped. It is encouraging to see the Government recognise that children and young people with cancer have distinct needs. Many of the commitments in today's plan, from developing kinder treatments to improving psychosocial support, reflect exactly what children, survivors and families told us mattered most." 

The Surrey-led project used the established James Lind Alliance methodology, which brings together patients, carers and professionals to identify research questions that existing evidence has not yet answered. A final workshop brought together 25 participants, including four young adults who had experienced childhood cancer, six parents/family members and 15 healthcare professionals. Children also attended their own dedicated workshop to identify their top five priorities, all of which were reflected in the final top 10. 

Several of the 2023 priorities align directly with commitments in today's plan. The call for better psychological, practical and financial support (priority three) is addressed through new personalised support plans and travel funding. The priority to speed up diagnosis (priority four) is reflected in the Government's commitment to meet all cancer waiting time standards by 2029. The priority for better hospital experiences (priority six, which was the top priority for children) is addressed through commitments to improve food options and provide youth worker support. 

Around 1,800 children are diagnosed with cancer in the UK each year. While five-year survival rates have risen to approximately 84 per cent, the 2023 priorities highlighted that survival alone is not enough. Questions about psychological support, the long-term impact of treatment and the experience of being in hospital all featured prominently in what children and families wanted researchers to address. 

The full report from the Children's Cancer Priority Setting Partnership, including all 23 priorities discussed at the final workshop, is available from the James Lind Alliance website. The work was funded by The Children & Young People’s Cancer Association and The Little Princess Trust. 

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Notes to editors