Charity donates £150k to lung cancer research

A Guernsey trust has donated £150,000 for research into lung cancer diagnosis research at the University of Southampton.

The money from the Jon Moulton Charity Trust would fund research to see if simple urine tests could improve early diagnosis and survival rates, researchers said.

Dr Victoria Goss, associate professor of early diagnosis and translational research at the Southampton Clinical Trials Unit (SCTU), said: "Earlier diagnosis can improve outcomes for patients, but detecting lung cancer at its earliest stages can be difficult, as symptoms can be vague."

Jon Moulton said: "We are pleased to support this study, which could help more people access important screening for lung cancer."

Lung cancer is the third most common cancer in the UK, with more than 50,000 people diagnosed each year.

Almost 70% of cases are diagnosed at a later stage when the chances of successful treatment were much lower.

Early diagnosis would be a key focus for a new institute at the university, staff said.

There have been multiple Channel Island donors, including a £1m donation from a Jersey couple helping launch a university campaign to build the Institute for Medical Innovation.

A screening programme was launched by NHS England in 2019, inviting people aged 55 to 74 with a history of smoking to take part.

Goss said: "The lung cancer screening programme has transformed the detection of lung cancer in those attending, but not everyone takes part.

"This may be because they cannot get to the mobile unit, are fearful of the scan, or simply do not have the time.

"Therefore, we need alternative, more accessible screening methods which complement the current programme to help spot the early signs of the disease in people who are at a high risk for this cancer."

Katherine de Retuerto, who leads the philanthropy team at the University of Southampton, said: "We've been very fortunate to have received fantastic support from people in Guernsey and we are proud to have such a committed and longstanding relationship with the island.

"The funding from the Jon Moutlon Charity Trust is a testament to that relationship and the trust people place in Southampton's research."

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