Cancer Research UK partners with the Royal College of Surgeons of England to help people with rectal cancer avoid unnecessary surgery

Cancer Research UK and the Royal College of Surgeons of England have launched a new initiative to improve treatment options for people with rectal cancer, a type of bowel cancer. The goal is to help more people avoid surgery by receiving chemotherapy and radiotherapy first.

This approach, known as neoadjuvant treatment, has shown promise as a treatment approach for some people with rectal cancer, but at the moment it’s hard for doctors to identify who will benefit most. By tackling this uncertainty, the initiative aims to deliver more personalised care, reduce unnecessary operations and improve quality of life for people with rectal cancer.

The project is funded thanks to a philanthropic donation from Bjorn Saven CBE and Inger Saven, who are long-standing supporters of both Cancer Research UK and the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

“This initiative reflects the kind of excellence and innovation that can truly change outcomes for cancer patients,” says Bjorn.

“We’re proud to support this research that’s not only ambitious but is rooted in real-world impact. It’s about improving lives through smarter, more personalised treatment."

Currently, one of the biggest hurdles is the lack of reliable tools to predict who can be treated effectively with non-surgical approaches.

“At present, clinicians rely heavily on scans and physical assessments, which don’t always give a clear picture,” says Catherine Elliott, Director of Research and Partnerships at Cancer Research UK.

“Also, patients who wish to defer surgery have limited access to clinical trials exploring alternative treatment paths.

“Another challenge is the limited accessibility of outcome data. Although a national colorectal cancer database exists, its data isn’t easily accessible or  analysed in ways that inform treatment strategies. One of the aims of this work is to improve how this data is captured and analysed, so it can provide better insights into treatment to help inform patient choices,” explains Catherine.

This joint initiative aims to change that by analysing existing data and identifying biomarkers - biological signals in the body - that can help predict how someone will respond to chemoradiotherapy. The goal is to improve treatment selection, reduce unnecessary surgeries, and pave the way for more personalised cancer care.

“The Royal College of Surgeons of England is delighted to have the opportunity to collaborate on innovative research that advances our understanding of cancer and improves the options available for treatment,” says Mr Tim Mitchell, President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

"Surgery is an important moment in a person’s life, and we are committed to ensuring surgeons provide the highest standards of care while recognising the importance of supporting patients to choose between their treatment alternatives. This work strengthens evidence available for colorectal cancer treatment, supports clinicians to improve care for patients and will lead to better outcomes in the future,” says Tim. 

Philanthropy making it possible

“Every person with cancer deserves treatment that works for them - not a one-size-fits-all solution,” says Michelle Mitchell OBE, Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK. “This initiative is about giving people more choice and better outcomes. It’s a powerful example of how philanthropy and science together can transform lives.”

"We’re deeply grateful to Bjorn and Inger Saven for making this work possible. It marks a historic moment, bringing two leading organisations together in partnership to drive progress for people affected by cancer."