News releases
CANCER CHARITY MAKES GENEROUS AWARD TO LANCASTER UNIVERISTY
14 August 2006
The North West Cancer Research Fund is an independent regional charity, which has been funding pioneering research in Lancaster University for twelve years.� It makes �750,000 available every year for fundamental research into the causes of cancer. Virtually all of this money is raised through voluntary efforts and donations.
Dr Sarah Allinson and Professor Trevor McMillan at the Department of Biological Sciences are receiving the award for a two year study into skin cancer and the effects that UV radiation has on human skin cells.� The study will look at all aspects of UV radiation, particularly examining the way skin cells respond to UV light of different intensities.�
There are three different types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma. The first two are the more common and relatively easy to treat by surgery (although surgery can be disfiguring).� Melanomas are much more aggressive and can be fatal.� In recent times the incidence of skin cancer has risen dramatically with around 2,000 deaths from skin cancer every year.� The increase in incidence is attributed to a greater number of people holidaying abroad and an increased used of sun beds.� Fortunately, as awareness of skin cancer has increased detection has improved.� The general advice to anyone who is worried about a mole or patch of skin�that has changed in appearance over a period of weeks or months should visit their doctor to check it out.
Sarah says: "By understanding how the UV radiation�in sunlight damages our skin cells, we will hopefully be equipped with a greater knowledge of how to protect ourselves from the cancer-causing effects of sunlight.
"The results of this North West Cancer Research Fund project will hopefully lead to a better understanding of this serious and increasingly common form of cancer and suggest more effective ways of preventing it"
Dr Sarah Allinson, 34, joined the Lancaster cancer research team back in 2004 as part of a five-year programme investigating both the causes of cancer and the effects of cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy.�� Sarah was recruited due to a generous award from North West Cancer Research Fund to Lancaster University for �265,000.� This was one of the largest ever to be granted in the history of the 58-year-old charity.
Joining her on this research into skin cancer is Lancaster University Professor of Cancer Biology Trevor McMillan.� He said: �Biomedical research is thriving at Lancaster with a number of recent academic appointments and a close relationship with Liverpool University in the delivery of medical education. �The support that the NWCRF has given us over the last 10 years has been vital in building a Cancer Research Group that is making an impact in the field. �This grant is important because it links one of the NWCRF primary objectives of looking at the causes of cancer (in this case UV light) with the fundamental research that we are doing in the group.�
Virtually all of the money is raised through voluntary donations and efforts.� Throughout its 56-year history, more than 90 pence in every pound raised has consistently been spent directly on research.� A number of the North West Cancer Research Fund's voluntary committees are based in Lancashire.
If you have helped to collect money for The North West Cancer Research Fund, don't forget to tell us all about how you raised the money so we can publicise your efforts.