The public health director for Oldham has commended the allocation of funds for lung cancer research with it being a cause close to her heart.
Scientists will continue their work into lung cancer thanks to up to £4m of funding from Cancer Research UK over the next five years.
Rebecca Fletcher, the public health director for Oldham, is particularly passionate about this cause, having lost her mother to the disease just two months after diagnosis.
The funding renewal for the Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence comes a decade after the centre was launched to battle the disease that is the third most common cancer in the UK and the "biggest cancer killer".
Ms Fletcher said: "It was devastating to lose my mum to lung cancer, particularly as she died so quickly after being diagnosed.
"I know from my day job that lung cancer remains a deadly disease in the North West and can be a 'forgotten' cancer which isn’t talked about enough.
"As someone who has supported Cancer Research UK by fundraising at events like Race for Life, I am so heartened to see considerable investment in tackling the disease which killed my mum.
"The research expertise in Manchester sounds amazing and gives my family such hope for the future."
This investment coincides with new analysis from the charity, released to mark Lung Cancer Awareness Month, highlighting the progress in research that is helping to "drive improvements" in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
In the North West, "around 4,000 lives are saved from lung cancer every year".
Since the 1970s, "around 77,800 deaths have been avoided from the disease" in the region.
Developing better treatments for those with lung cancer has lagged due to its complex biology, resulting in poor survival rates.
However, progress has been made, particularly over the past decade since the Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence (LCCE) was established, such as the 15 computational tools developed since 2019, which are "widely adopted" in lung cancer research and beyond.
Researchers at the LCCE have been at the forefront of Europe’s efforts in lung cancer screening, influencing national policies on early lung cancer detection.
The LCCE collaborates with international experts, driving lung cancer research on a global scale.
Professor Caroline Dive, interim director of the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, said: "We are thrilled that the Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence’s funding has been renewed.
"It’s fantastic recognition of the hard and tireless work of researchers in Manchester tackling a disease which remains a significant cause of cancer death in this region.
"Lung cancer patients nationwide are now benefitting from the world-class research and medical expertise which will lead to better ways of early detection and more effective treatment which saves lives."
Dr Iain Foulkes, executive director of research and innovation at Cancer Research UK, said: "From uncovering the causes of lung cancer to pioneering drugs to treat it, we are powering progress in the fight against the disease.
"So, this Lung Cancer Awareness Month, our supporters and partners have every right to feel proud of the discoveries and breakthroughs taking place in Manchester, that they help make possible through their generosity and commitment to the cause.
"But we must go further and faster.
"This latest cash injection for the Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence will help to increase the pace of research, unlocking lung cancer’s secrets and offering hope to the many thousands of people diagnosed with this devastating disease."
To support life-saving research, people can donate monthly to Cancer Research UK at cruk.org/donate.
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