|  |  |  | | | | Frequently asked questions | | | | |
| |  | How does Leukaemia Research differ from other cancer charities? |
Leukaemia Research is the only UK charity exclusively dedicated to funding research into all types of blood cancer.
We now commit more than £23 million each year to research into leukaemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease, myeloma and other blood cancers. This makes us the largest funder of blood cancer research in the UK.
| In what areas has our research advanced over the last five years? |
Research is a slow process and so it is difficult to claim ‘breakthroughs’ as these are the result of many years of effort and accumulated knowledge. However it is certainly the case that in the past five years great progress has been made in improving the benefit and outcome of stem cell transplants in patients. This has led to more patients successfully receiving transplants to replace their diseased bone marrow.
The treatment of childhood leukaemia has benefited from the introduction of the minimal residual disease test (developed over 20 years with funding from Leukaemia Research) to monitor how children are responding to chemotherapy. The expectation is that cure will be achieved in 90% of children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
In the past five years Leukaemia Research has established a portfolio of clinical trials to evaluate possible new treatments. Although they take a long time to complete, these studies tell us whether new drugs or techniques can benefit patients with blood cancers. One promising trial suggests that some patients with Hodgkin’s disease can be spared unnecessary chemotherapy by the use of PET scans, which is a new computerised way of assessing how much tumour is left after treatment.
| Why do we not apply for Government grants? |
The majority of Government funding for research goes through the Medical Research Council (MRC). The MRC only awards grants directly to researchers at universities, research institutes or hospitals.
Leukaemia Research is not eligible to apply for funding from the MRC so we rely entirely on donations from individuals, organisations and companies to fund hundreds of research projects across the UK.
| What role does LR play in patients being able to access the latest drugs? |
Leukaemia Research is registered with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) as a commentator on all drugs used for treatment of blood cancers. This means that, either independently or with other relevant charities like Leukaemia Care and Myeloma UK, we can comment on applications for approval of new treatments.
In the case of imatinib (Glivec™) for example, which is used for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia, we contributed to the challenge that NICE had used the wrong criteria to decide whether it should be recommended for all newly diagnosed CML patients. As a result of the challenge NICE changed an earlier recommendation that Glivec should only be available to patients who could not be treated with interferon to recommending that it should be available for all new CML patients. We played a similar part in changing the recommendation for bortezomib (Velcade™) for myeloma patients.
Leukaemia Research has also been involved in discussions with the Department of Health on the recently announced Cancer Reform Strategy. We are part of a group of cancer charities called the Cancer Campaign Group and also a group of charities dealing specifically with blood cancers – the Blood Cancers Alliance.
| What is our policy on animal testing? |
Animal experiments have contributed to numerous scientific and medical breakthroughs. For example, animal experiments have been essential for improving our understanding of how blood cells become cancerous. They have also played an important role in the development of new treatments such as the drug imatinib (Glivec™), which has increased life expectancy for patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia.
Some of our scientists have to use animals in their research. It is a legal requirement to demonstrate that new treatments are safe in animals before being given to patients. Most of these animals are mice, although in rare cases experiments are carried out on fish or even fruit flies.
There are strict legal controls on the use of animals in medical research. In order to carry out animal experiments, researchers have to obtain a series of special licences from the Government. Under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act of 1986, these licenses can only be granted when there is no alternative research technique and the expected benefits outweigh any possible adverse effects.
Moreover, researchers are expected to take every possible step to reduce the numbers of animals used and minimise their suffering. The laboratory must also have the necessary facilities to care for the animals properly. Licensed laboratories are closely monitored by the Home Office.
| What are other countries doing regarding research and do we benefit? |
Cancer research is an international activity and the knowledge generated by colleagues worldwide is disseminated by publication in journals (and increasingly websites) and by presentations at conferences.
Leukaemia Research grantholders in the UK are fully aware of what research is being done by colleagues overseas and conversely researchers in other countries are aware of what LR research is achieving here. It is important not to duplicate work being done by others and this is something we ensure through our rigorous review process of new applications.
The benefit of this global team effort is that progress is faster because many people are contributing to the knowledge pool on hundreds of different aspects of research into blood cancers. Equally our researchers can respond quickly to “hot areas” of research and make their own contributions, thus maximising the benefits to patients.
| Are blood cancers inherited? |
Blood cancers are not inherited conditions. It has been found that some families do have a higher risk for certain blood cancers, but they account for a very small percentage of all cases – in other words most cases of blood cancer occur in families with no other affected members.
In some of the conditions there may be a slightly higher incidence among close relatives but given that they are relatively rare conditions this should not be a cause for concern.
It should be remembered that, although individual types of blood cancer are not common, around 1 in 25 of the population will develop a blood cancer and so one would expect to sometimes see more than one case in a family purely by chance.
| Does smoking increase the risk of blood cancers? |
Smoking does increase the risk of lung cancer, some types of leukaemia and also of heart and other lung diseases. All doctors agree that anyone who smokes should try to give up.
The National Health Service provides help and encouragement for smokers who want to quit, and there is a telephone help line which you can contact on 0800 169 0 169 – they have a web site at www.givingupsmoking.co.uk. The good news is that as soon as someone quits their risk of cancer and other illnesses starts to return to the same level as if they had never smoked.
| Does living near pylons increase the risk of getting a blood cancer? |
We were the major charity in a consortium that funded the largest study ever carried out into the causes of childhood cancers between 1992 and 2000 (the UK Childhood Cancer Study). Analysis of the data has shown that proximity to electrical installations or the electro-magnetic fields they produce is not associated with an increased risk of childhood leukaemia or any other cancer.
There is no biological evidence (i.e. a direct effect on the body) from research anywhere in the world that has shown a link between power lines and childhood leukaemia; nor is there any compelling evidence to suggest a link between any form of cancer and power lines.
There have been several papers reporting higher numbers of cases of leukaemia in children living near power lines but the researchers have made it clear that they cannot rule out pure chance as an explanation. One of the reports which is most commonly mentioned is called the “Draper report” after the principal author Dr Gerald Draper. Dr Draper has specifically said that he “would not advise anyone to move house on the basis of his findings”.
Scientists believe that the cause of childhood leukaemia is an abnormal response by the immune system as a result of an infection. Evidence in support of this hypothesis is strengthening.
|
|
|
|
