Author: The Brain Tumour Charity

We would like to invite you to our meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Brain Tumours.

Brain tumour patients are more likely to be diagnosed via a hospital A&E department than those with any other type of tumour, new figures show.

Claiming to be a world’s first, Canadian scientists have used targeted ultrasound and microbubbles to deliver chemotherapy drugs directly into brain tumours.

The Off-patent Drugs Bill has been blocked at its second reading in the House of Commons despite support from MPs of both parties and a number of charities and health organisations. It will be put onto the agenda for another reading in December, however is unlikely to be allocated time for debate.

The American Brain Tumour Association (ABTA), founded in 1973 and based in Chicago, has announced it is awarding $1million in new research grants.

Scientists have discovered a protein that is produced inside the blood vessels at the invasive edge of brain tumours.

One of our fantastic Young Ambassadors April Watkins recently met with Caroline Lucas, the country’s first Green Party MP in Brighton, where she was able to share details of our HeadSmart campaign and her personal experiences as a young adult going through treatment for a brain tumour.

The potential benefit of the Off-patent Drugs Bill to people affected by a brain tumour has been highlighted in an editorial featured in The Telegraph. The paper also features a letter in support of The Bill signed by 40 clinicians including Professor Susan Short who is leading a clinical trial to investigate the effect of hydroxychloroquine on high grade gliomas undergoing radiotherapy.

The interim report of the Accelerated Access Review, a UK Government review looking at ways to speed up patient access to new drugs, was published on the 27th October.

Cancer Research UK have released some figures that demonstrate how getting a cancer diagnosis in a timely manner varies across the UK.

An American not-for-profit organisation is recruiting students to join their cancer support fellowship TaketheFight

Physicists from the University of Sydney are using synthetic nano-diamonds (molecular levels of size) to identify cancer cells during non-invasive MRI scans.

Chris White, MP for Warwick and Leamington, joined hundreds of supporters for our Warwick Twilight Walk last Sunday, writing about it on his website.

New imaging technology may allow neurosurgeons to distinguish between tumour tissue and normal brain tissue in real time

The Northern Ireland Cancer Patient Experience Survey contains data on the experience of 3,200 cancer patients between 2014 and 2015, including 28 patients with high-grade brain tumours.

Developing a new drug is hugely expensive. The whole process – from initial laboratory tests through clinical trials to licensing for use in humans (if it gets that far) – is time-consuming and often frustrating.

An enhanced Australian rabbit virus may pave the way for future drug-virus treatments of GBM.

The American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has just approved Optune for the treatment of gioblastoma multiforme (GBM) patients.

Our ten year old supporter Amelia Gebruers won a Pride of Britain award for her fundraising achievements.

A pioneering development in Gamma Knife radiosurgery treatment of brain tumours is undergoing trials at Bristol Royal Infirmary.

We are delighted to announce an overwhelmingly positive response to our latest appeal for research ideas, with a host of teams bidding to drive forward progress towards defeating brain tumours.

People with a brain tumour could be prevented from accessing low cost and readily available drugs that have been proven to treat their tumour because the drugs are no longer covered by a manufacturer’s patent. Ask your local MP to vote in favour of the Off-Patent Drugs Bill on 6th November to ensure we change this.

Last week, many people were talking about remembering charities in Wills. We invited Tim Clarke, who has lived with a brain tumour for five years, to share his thoughts.

Earlier this summer year twelve students Amie, Aaron and Jemima spent some time learning about brain tumour research with Dr David Michod. Amie wrote about her experience: