Scientists from The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), London, are taking part in a groundbreaking new set of brain cancer clinical trials designed to improve survival and quality of life for people with glioblastoma.
The trials form part of a £6.9 million initiative funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research and led by experts at the University of Sheffield and the University of Glasgow. The work aims to transform how cancer drugs are tested for people with recurrent glioblastoma, enabling faster access to promising new treatments. Scientists from the Clinical Trials and Statistics Unit at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) will play a key role in the initiative.
Glioblastoma is the most common and fastest‑growing type of brain cancer, with most people experiencing recurrence within a year of diagnosis. Many cancer drugs are ineffective because they cannot reach the tumour due to the blood‑brain barrier, contributing to a lack of major treatment breakthroughs for the disease since 2007. New approaches to clinical trials are urgently needed to identify which drugs can reach the brain and work effectively.
Testing treatments earlier
The trials will allow people to begin treatment before surgery, creating a ‘window of opportunity’ to analyse tumour tissue removed during the operation. This enables researchers to rapidly assess which drugs reach the tumour and show promise. Patients can then continue effective treatments or stop those that are unlikely to work, helping to avoid unnecessary side effects and move on to alternative options more quickly.
Delivered through dedicated Centres of Excellence for brain cancer, the trials will be offered to people with recurrent glioblastoma in Sheffield, Leeds and Hull, as well as Edinburgh, Manchester and Nottingham. These centres bring together the NHS, researchers, industry and people affected by cancer, allowing patients to access innovative treatments closer to home.
People affected by brain cancer have played a vital role in shaping how the trials will be designed and delivered, ensuring the needs and experiences of patients and families are central to decision‑making throughout.
Addressing regional inequalities
Survival rates for glioblastoma in Yorkshire are often lower than the national average, and people in the region have historically had fewer opportunities to take part in clinical trials. This new initiative aims to tackle these inequalities by improving access to research and engaging communities that are under‑represented in cancer trials, including Black and South Asian communities and those experiencing high levels of deprivation.
Mr Ola Rominiyi, Clinical Lecturer in Neurosurgery at the University of Sheffield and Neurosurgical Resident at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “Current treatments for fast‑growing brain cancers are not good enough, and people in Yorkshire have historically had fewer opportunities to take part in research. Boldly supported by Yorkshire Cancer Research, this initiative is a vital step forward, giving more people access to promising new treatments and hope where options have too often been limited.”
'We're excited about the potential of this approach'
Professor Christina Yap, Professor of Clinical Trials Biostatistics at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and trial methodology lead, said: “This initiative introduces a next‑generation approach to early‑stage glioblastoma research, using innovative trial methods to learn much more quickly whether a new treatment can reach the brain and show real promise for patients. By building in regular decision points, the trials allow us to move effective therapies forward faster, while stopping those that aren’t working, so time, effort and resources are focused where they can have the greatest impact. This kind of adaptive, data‑driven approach is essential for accelerating progress for people with brain cancer, where new treatment options are urgently needed.”
“We're incredibly grateful to Yorkshire Cancer Research for funding EPIC-GB. I’m honoured to serve as the lead statistician, and it has been a real privilege to co-design this ambitious and innovative brain cancer platform trial. We’re excited about the potential of this approach to accelerate the identification of promising treatments for patients with brain cancer and giving hope where options have too often been limited.”
Dr Stuart Griffiths, Director of Research, Policy and Impact at Yorkshire Cancer Research, said: “For far too long, people with glioblastoma have faced limited treatment options. This initiative opens new opportunities for people with recurrent disease – including those under‑represented in research – to trial potentially life‑extending treatments. It reflects our commitment to bringing innovative clinical trials to Yorkshire, so people in the region can be among the first to benefit from cancer breakthroughs.”
The trials also involve researchers from other UK centres, including Glasgow, helping ensure that progress made through this work can benefit people with brain cancer across the UK.
'Research like this is the only way to give families more time to make memories together'
After being diagnosed with brain cancer in January last year and facing limited treatment options in Yorkshire, 47‑year‑old mum‑of‑two Emma Ward from York travelled abroad to access an immunotherapy treatment, funded by £145,000 raised by friends and family.
She said: “With no further options for me in the UK, all I could think about was the extra time this treatment might give me with my husband and daughters. My friends did everything they could, and I was overwhelmed by their kindness – but it shouldn’t have to be like this. Too many people lose their lives because there are so few options for treating brain cancers.
“For families like mine, time means everything. Research like this is the only way to give families more time to make memories together. I want my husband and daughters to remember the trips we took, the laughter and the happy times we shared as a family – and only through more research can we give families more of those moments.”