Brain tumour research
Around 8,000 people are diagnosed with brain tumours, or cancer of the central nervous system, in the UK every year.
Brain tumours are often hard to treat, so research in this area is vital. For children, the survival rates have almost doubled since the late 1960s.
Cancer Research UK supports a broad programme of research into brain tumours. We want to understand their biology and improve diagnosis and treatment.
We have made great progress in the design and development of drugs. For example, we funded research that led to the development of temozolomide, a drug that is used to treat people with some types of brain tumour. It can be taken orally, which means patients don’t have to attend lots of hospital appointments.
You can find out more about brain tumours on our CancerHelp website.
Below are some of the highlights of our brain tumour research portfolio.
Biomarkers
Dr Steven Pollard
UCL Cancer Institute
University College London, London
Studying stem cells in brain tumours
Dr Steven Pollard is at the forefront of research into brain tumours. His work focuses on the exciting new area of cancer stem cells. These specialised cells only make up a small proportion of the whole tumour but are believed to act as the driving force behind many cancers. Dr Pollard is investigating how cancer stem cells in the brain contribute to the development of brain tumours. He plans to use this information to find effective new ways to treat this disease.
Clinical trials
Dr Sara Erridge
Edinburgh Cancer Centre
University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh
Improving treatment for brain tumours
Dr Sara Erridge is a cancer doctor specialising in the treatment of brain tumours. She is running a clinical trial to find the best way to treat a type of brain tumour called glioma.
Prof David Walker
School of Human Development
University of Nottingham, Nottingham
Testing treatments for childhood brain cancer
Professor David Walker heads a team at the University of Nottingham. The group is investigating the best way to treat certain childhood cancers known as low-grade gliomas (LGGs).
Drug discovery & development
Dr Chris Jones
Paediatric Oncology
The Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton
Hitting cancer where it hurts: new ways to target childhood brain tumours
Dr Chris Jones at The Institute of Cancer Research in Sutton is investigating the faulty molecules found in a type of childhood brain tumour called glioblastoma. His aim is to understand the changes in the cancer cells that drive the growth of these tumours, and to find new drugs to treat them, saving more children's lives.
Radiobiology
Prof Richard Houlston
Molecular and Population Genetics Team
The Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton
Genes and cancer
Professor Richard Houlston and his team are searching for cancer genes. They are carrying out large-scale studies of human populations to discover genetic faults that increase the risk of certain types of cancer including bowel, brain and lung. They are also searching for genes that influence a person's sensitivity to the effects of radiation.
Stem cells
Dr Steven Pollard
UCL Cancer Institute
University College London, London
Studying stem cells in brain tumours
Dr Steven Pollard is at the forefront of research into brain tumours. His work focuses on the exciting new area of cancer stem cells. These specialised cells only make up a small proportion of the whole tumour but are believed to act as the driving force behind many cancers. Dr Pollard is investigating how cancer stem cells in the brain contribute to the development of brain tumours. He plans to use this information to find effective new ways to treat this disease.
Dr Verdon Taylor
Department of Biomedical Science
University of Sheffield, Sheffield
Understanding cells at the root of brain tumours
Dr Verdon Taylor is based at the University of Sheffield. He is studying special cells called stem cells, which researchers think may be the root cause of some cancers. Dr Taylor is focusing on a type of brain tumour called glioma, and his work could lead to innovative new ways to tackle this disease.
Increase text
Decrease text
Print this page
