Driving progress for more than 50 years

Today

Around 8 in 10 children with cancer now survive*

Thanks to our supporters and partners, we’re continuing to fund world-leading research to help children and young people live longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer.

*Beyond 10 years after diagnosis.

2024

New targeted treatment for glioma

In 2024, the first targeted treatment for glioma brain tumours in children and young people was made available on the NHS. Our scientists played a key role in the research behind this new drug combination and the early clinical trials.

2022

We co-created the UK's leading cancer biobank for children and young people

In partnership with Blood Cancer UK, we merged two existing biobanks to create the VIVO Biobank, the UK’s leading biomedical research resource dedicated to storing samples and data of cancers in children and young people. 

The VIVO Biobank provides a single point of access for people and organisations involved in researching blood, bone marrow and solid cancers in 0-24-year-olds.

The partnership has created the widest collection of children's and young people's cancer samples available, helping to advance the high-quality research needed to develop new treatments faster. 

2021

We launched the Cancer Research UK–Children with Cancer UK Innovation Awards

Joining forces with Children with Cancer UK, in 2021 we announced our co-funding of the Cancer Research UK–Children with Cancer UK Innovation Awards.

With this funding, five new teams of world-leading scientists, with up to £1m each, embarked on five distinct research projects into children’s and young people’s cancers.

From developing a new, “off-the-shelf” therapy, to mapping a detailed genetic atlas of cancer, each team is working on pioneering projects to improve our understanding of children’s and young people’s cancers.

2020

Our FaR-RMS trial opened for recruitment

In 2020, the FaR-RMS clinical trial we support opened to patients with rhabdomyosarcoma, a cancer of the soft tissue. This trial looks to improve treatment by making changes to the combination, timing and dose of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Oliver took part in the FAR-RMS trial after being diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma aged three.

He’s now in remission and happy to be back at school.

2018

We launched a new brain tumour centre

In 2018, we launched the Cancer Research UK Children’s Brain Tumour Centre of Excellence, supported by TK Maxx.

The virtual centre brings together international experts in children’s brain tumour research to transform the way treatments for these tumours are developed.

It is a collaboration between the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre, the University of Cambridge and The Institute of Cancer Research, London. 

2018

Reducing hearing loss risk for children after treatment

In 2018, we took a major step towards reducing side effects from cancer treatment, showing that a new drug can almost halve the risk of hearing loss in children following chemotherapy for liver cancer.

The SIOPEL-6 clinical trial finds that giving these children a drug called sodium thiosulphate after chemotherapy treatment using cisplatin can substantially reduce hearing loss.

This marked great progress towards minimising the number of children who have long-term side effects after cancer treatment, and could change the way some patients are treated in the future.

2016

Our MyeChild01 trial opened for recruitment

In 2016, hospitals across the UK begin recruiting participants for the MyeChild01 trial that we support. This trial looks to improve chemotherapy treatment for children with acute myeloid leukaemia.

Aleesha-Marie took part in the trial after being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia aged 13.

She’s now cancer-free and hopes to become a paediatric nurse.

2016

We made a huge step forward in understanding medulloblastoma

In 2016, we made significant progress in understanding why some types of medulloblastoma – the most common type of children’s brain tumour – respond better to treatment than others.

Our research discovers that some medulloblastomas have leaky blood vessels that could help drugs reach the tumour more easily. This could help explain why children with a certain type of medulloblastoma tend to do well after chemotherapy, while others have a worse outlook.

In the future, this could help researchers tackle hard-to-treat medulloblastomas by making them more sensitive to chemotherapy.

2008

New drug for children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

All children in the UK with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia that has come back after treatment are now offered the drug mitoxantrone, after our clinical trials show it can dramatically improve survival with fewer side effects.

2006

Our trial helped make Wilms' tumour treatment kinder for children

Our decade-long trial demonstrated the benefits of giving chemotherapy before surgery when treating children with the kidney cancer Wilms' tumour.

It meant young patients can have less treatment and avoid long-term side effects. This changed the way that children with this kidney cancer are treated now in the UK.

1990s

First UK clinical trials for Ewing sarcoma

In the 1990s, we carried out the first UK clinical trials for children with the bone cancer Ewing sarcoma, helping to bring about improvements in survival.

1980s

Innovative new type of radiotherapy

In the 1980s, we played a crucial early role in developing a new type of radiotherapy, which allows doctors to give a more powerful, targeted treatment while sparing healthy tissue.

This helped reduce the side effects experienced by many young cancer patients being treated with radiotherapy.

1970s

Game-changing discoveries about leukaemia

In the 1970s, we funded pioneering research that showed there are different types of leukaemia.

This led to the development of more targeted and effective treatments, which improved survival for children and young people diagnosed with these cancers.

1970s

Fewer than 4 in 10 children with cancer survived*

*Beyond 10 years after diagnosis