To improve the results of cancer treatment by individualising patient treatment. Background Cancer chemotherapy cures some patients, but response rates remain disappointing for many solid tumours. This is particularly true of rare tumours, such as ocular melanoma. This heterogeneity is present at the molecular, cellular, histological and clinical level - in many respects cancers are as different as their owners.
Patients therefore stand to benefit considerably if their treatment can be individualised.
The unit is funded by donations and income from a variety of medical research charities, industrial sponsors and the European Union. Recent Achievements Development of the ATP-based chemosensitivity assay. The demonstration that uveal melanoma is susceptible to chemotherapy. This has also now proven to be active in a number of more common tumours, including breast and ovarian cancer. Demonstration that loss of the TGFbeta pathway control of melanoma cell growth is a common event, and may be involved in the formation of the tumour.