(l-r) Dr Richard Turkington, Dr Dan Middleton and Professor Helen Coleman from Queen's University Belfast

The more than £300,000 funding package, which was awarded by oesophageal cancer charity, Ochre, based in Scotland, marks a significant investment in research on oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), a subtype of oesophageal cancer, which has been named a ‘forgotten cancer’ in the UK, after being overtaken in incidence in recent decades by oesophageal adenocarcinoma.  

OSCC disproportionately affects socially deprived communities, with some of the highest local rates worldwide found in parts of Scotland. 

Oesophageal cancer affects the lives of many worldwide and in the UK, where approximately 3,200 new cases of OSCC are diagnosed per year – one third of all oesophageal cancer cases - with no more than 15% of patients surviving beyond five years. 

The interdisciplinary collaborative research team are launching a new ‘Aetiological and Clinical OSCC Research Network’ (ACORN) which will investigate the causes and treatment of OSCC, aptly named to symbolise a seed from which future research and knowledge can grow.

For the next four years, new cases from across Northern Ireland and Scotland will be invited to participate in research into the causes of this and donate samples for the creation of patient-derived organoids to combat drug resistance.  

Dr Dan Middleton, Lecturer and Co-Principal Investigator of ACORN from the Centre for Public Health at Queen’s University Belfast, explains: “While we know OSCC is largely caused by alcohol and tobacco in the UK, our research aims to pilot a new self-assessment tool in patients and healthy individuals to investigate these and other risk factors in a less burdensome manner to participants and clinical teams.” 

Professor Russell Petty, Clinical Professor and Co-Principal Investigator from the University of Dundee said: “The major unmet healthcare need for oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients is exacerbated by the lack of research and OCHRE ACORN will help address this. 

“A key part of ACORN will be to generate new tumour organoid models from patients tissue which will allow us to study the disease in our laboratory in Dundee in much greater depth and in a way that is much more relevant to our patients needs. I am optimistic that new more effective treatment will result from this work and also that establishing it will create new tools for researchers now and in the future to accelerate progress.” 

The funding will also support the next generation of OSCC researchers through the creation of a new fully funded PhD Studentship to work on the project. 

Allan Lapsley, Chair of Ochre said: "We are delighted to be able to support this research with the aim of improving our understanding of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma. 

“For too long oesophageal cancer has been one of the less survivable cancers, particularly in Scotland, with late diagnosis, limited treatment options and poor outcomes contributing to lives lost and families left devastated. 

“Less survivable cancers suffer from a lack of investment in research and thanks to the wonderful people who raise funds and support Ochre from across the UK and beyond, we have an opportunity to improve outcomes and create a better future for oesophageal cancer patients and their families.” 

Media

Media inquiries to Sian Devlin at s.devlin@qub.ac.uk