RIGHT NOW, RESEARCHERS, FUNDRAISERS, DOCTORS, NURSES, PATIENTS, VOLUNTEERS, CAMPAIGNERS, SUPPORTERS ARE BEATING CANCER

OUR ANNUAL REVIEW 2016/17

THANKS TO YOU WE ARE BEATING CANCER

Discover more of our stories at cruk.org.uk/blog Cancer Research UK’s vision is to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured. Our ambition is to see 3 in 4 people surviving cancer for 10 years or more by 2034.

We’re working to prevent cancer, diagnose it earlier, develop new treatments and optimise existing treatments to make them more effective.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION DIAGNOSING CANCER EARLIER MAKING CANCER TREATMENT 02 A message from our 26 Working to improve early MORE EFFECTIVE Chairman and CEO diagnosis services 42 D iscovering a missing piece 03 A message from one 28 Can we diagnose cancer of the cancer puzzle of our scientists in GP surgeries? 44 Remembering my brother Mark 04 About us 30 Helping to make sure cancer 46 Taking a new approach to 05 Our strategy is spotted early tackling bladder cancer 06 Evaluating our progress 48 Taking part in life‑changing trials DEVELOPING NEW CANCER TREATMENTS GROUNDBREAKING THANKS TO YOU MOMENTS IN 2016/17 34 T ackling hard-to-treat cancers 52 “Thank you to everyone who supports Cancer Research UK” 10 Grand Challenge: Sparking a 36 Helping change the way we revolution in cancer research treat pancreatic cancer 54 How we raised and spent our money 12 Making vital discoveries at 38 Improving treatment for children the Institute with cancer 57 Our year in numbers 58 A timeline of our 2016/17 PREVENTING CANCER highlights 18 Cutting obesity down to size 60 For you, because of you, thanks to you 20 M aking healthier choices 64 Help us beat cancer sooner 22 C ould exercise prevent bowel cancer coming back? OUR ANNUAL REVIEW | 01

PREVENT Preventing cancer Find out more: page 16

Diagnosing cancer earlier DIAGNOSE Find out more: page 24

Developing new cancer treatments TREAT Find out more: page 32

Making cancer treatment OPTIMISE more effective OPTIMISEOPTIMISE Find out more: page 40

CANCER BEATING ARE WE WE ARE BEATING

ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2016/17 ACCOUNTS AND REPORT ANNUAL CANCER WE ARE BEATING CANCER BEATING ARE WE RIGHT NOW,

OUR ANNUAL REVIEW 2016/17 2016/17 2016/17 REVIEW ANNUAL OUR RESEARCHERS, FUNDRAISERS, DOCTORS, NURSES, PATIENTS, VOLUNTEERS, RIGHT NOW, RESEARCHERS, CAMPAIGNERS, FUNDRAISERS, DOCTORS, NURSES, SUPPORTERS PATIENTS, VOLUNTEERS, CAMPAIGNERS, ARE BEATING SUPPORTERS ARE BEATING CANCER CANCER

ANNUAL REPORT OUR AND ACCOUNTS OUR ANNUAL REVIEW HIGHLIGHTS 2016/17 2016/17 2016/17 Look out for this icon Find the Annual Review, Annual Report and Accounts throughout the Annual Review and Highlights online at cruk.org/our-year to discover more online 02 | INTRODUCTION SIR HARPAL KUMAR AND PROFESSOR SIR LESZEK BORYSIEWICZ THANKS TO YOU WE’RE BEATING CANCER

RESEARCH TO BENEFIT PATIENTS HEALTHY LIFESTYLES Among the exciting research projects Tackling rising obesity rates is an urgent we supported this year were the first priority, as we estimate obesity will Grand Challenge awards. We believe cause 670,000 new cancer cases in the the four winning projects will next 20 years. We are addressing this revolutionise our understanding issue through research, campaigning of cancer (see page 10). and awareness raising (see page 18). The TRACERx study is looking at Our tobacco campaigning saw the evolution of cancer by following major successes this year, including lung cancer patients throughout the roll‑out of plain packaging and their treatment. As part of the study, smoking rates continuing to fall. researchers developed a blood test But there is more to do. Our ‘Don’t Quit and have published findings showing on Us’ campaign aims to protect vital that it could detect relapse in patients Stop Smoking Services, which are at who have had surgery up to a year risk from government budget cuts. before standard testing. WORKING TOGETHER INVESTING IN THE FUTURE TO BEAT CANCER We are also investing in the future None of our work would be possible of research, ensuring systems and without our supporters. We strive to resources are in place for researchers make sure that your donations are spent to continue their important work in in the best way. And we involve people years to come. affected by cancer to help shape our work. Alongside many other projects This year saw the opening of the this year, our patient representatives , which we played a vital role in the development One in two people born in co‑funded (see page 12). We also of the Grand Challenge awards. the UK since 1960 will be announced our largest ever investment diagnosed with cancer in in our network of Centres – hubs which It has been an exciting year, and we their lifetime. So it is vital that bring together world-class expertise want to thank all our amazing supporters, in research and medicine, to help get volunteers, scientists, doctors, nurses we work together to beat life-saving treatments to patients faster. and partners. Every one of you is the disease. Everyone, from helping to beat cancer sooner. researchers, to patients and We have also had challenges. A fire at our Manchester Institute, in which supporters, can help us achieve thankfully no one was hurt, significantly our goal of seeing 3 in 4 people damaged research facilities. It was surviving cancer for 10 years heartening to see our staff and or more by 2034. supporters rally round, and the Sir Harpal Kumar generous donations of the public will help to get the Institute back on its feet. Chief Executive

Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz Chairman 24 May 2017 OUR ANNUAL REVIEW | 03 DR UDAI BANERJI BRINGING BETTER DRUGS TO PATIENTS

I’M MOTIVATED BY PATIENTS YOU MAKE MY WORK POSSIBLE The patients volunteering for our Cancer Research UK’s support meant trials often have advanced cancers I could design and conduct a national and have already had several different early-phase clinical trial combining treatments. It is a privilege to work with a new drug called vistusertib with patients who, at a difficult time in their a known cancer drug, paclitaxel. lives, enrol in trials to help science, The findings of this study led to this medicine and the next generation of combination being further evaluated cancer patients. My motivation is to in treating ovarian cancer. help patients by evaluating innovative It is only because of Cancer medicines developed by Cancer Research UK’s many generous Research UK scientists in early supporters that researchers like me clinical trials. I’m a Cancer Research UK can do our work. Thank you to clinician scientist at The My lab focuses on making sure that a everyone who has donated time or cancer drug acts in the way we intend money to this important cause. You’re Institute of Cancer Research, and ‘does what it says on the tin’. making these advances possible. London. I work in the early This research helps us tailor doses stages of drug development, of the drugs. Funding from Cancer where new drugs are given to Research UK also allows me to conduct patients for the first time to see experiments to find new combinations of cancer drugs that are needed to how they work in the body. Dr Udai Banerji fight the disease. Cancer Research UK clinician scientist SUPPORTING THE ENTIRE PROCESS 24 May 2017 Cancer Research UK supports many different stages of cancer drug development, funding researchers, labs and equipment. They also train, fund and empower talented scientists, nurses, data managers, clinical trial coordinators and medical staff, who are all critical to cancer drug development. PARTNERSHIPS HELP US MAKE A DIFFERENCE It’s so important that different parts of the health system, including drug companies, the NHS and charities, work together to develop new treatments faster. That’s why it’s great that Cancer Research UK is working with partners like the Departmen