The National Institute for Health and Care Research has welcomed the government’s new National Cancer Plan, reaffirming its commitment to driving research that will transform survival rates for some of the UK’s deadliest and most challenging cancers.
As the of the Department of Health and Social Care’s research arm, the NIHR is providing the clinical infrastructure and funding needed to move life‑saving cancer treatments from the laboratory to patient care, supporting the plan’s ambition to deliver faster diagnosis, better treatments and fairer outcomes.
Central to this commitment is the establishment of the NIHR Brain Tumour Research Consortium, backed by an investment of up to £25.5 million.
The consortium brings together 48 hospitals, universities and charities to create a nationally coordinated approach to evaluating new brain cancer treatments — addressing long‑standing challenges in researching rare and complex cancers.
The programme is designed to overcome issues such as high variation in tumour types and the historical lack of dedicated research infrastructure, helping ensure patients can access cutting‑edge science regardless of where they live.
The consortium will focus on precision medicine, testing treatments tailored to the genetic profile of individual tumours.
Future research will also expand into:
- Platform trials for advanced radiotherapy techniques
- Immunotherapies
- Gene therapies
Together, this work aims to build a strong evidence base to support future NHS access to innovative treatments.
To further accelerate progress, the NIHR will create a new Speciality Lead for Rare Cancers.
This role will oversee programmes to make it easier for clinical trials to take place across England, strengthening the UK’s position as a global leader in cancer research and survival — particularly for diseases that have historically been difficult to treat.
In line with the government’s focus on a digitally enabled NHS, the NIHR is working to integrate the Be Part of Research service directly into the NHS App.
Patients with rare cancers, who account for around 47% of all cancer diagnoses in the UK, have often faced slow progress due to trial systems not designed for small patient populations.
By expanding the NHS App’s “doctor in your pocket” functionality, patients will be able to:
- Search for relevant clinical trials
- Be automatically matched with suitable studies over time
This will help make participation in research a routine part of care, rather than dependent on geography or chance referral.
Alongside investment in brain and rare cancers, DHSC is using the NIHR to drive progress across its wider cancer research portfolio.
This includes:
- The TRANSFORM trial for prostate cancer screening
- The planned Cancer Clinical Trials Accelerator, delivered through the NIHR Industry Hub, to streamline investment from industry and academia
The NIHR’s research is also delivering significant efficiencies across the NHS.
Landmark studies have shown that:
- Six months of Herceptin for breast cancer is as effective as twelve, potentially saving the NHS £105 million each year
- The Fast‑Forward trial safely reduced radiotherapy schedules from three weeks to one
Meanwhile, advances in AI now allow clinicians to detect lung nodules as small as 6mm, and tools such as the Speedboat device enable non‑invasive surgery that can cut hospital stays from 39 days to just one.
Together, these innovations are improving quality of life for patients and delivering an estimated £200 million in economic benefit over a decade.
By focusing on the most difficult‑to‑treat cancers and embedding research directly into patient care, the NIHR says it is helping ensure the National Cancer Plan delivers a fairer, healthier future – where every patient has the opportunity to benefit from the latest scientific breakthroughs.
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