Families of children with cancer support human tissue research, study finds

4. Allowing sub-classification of different types of malignancies is an example of the benefits of tissue-based research. For instance, neuroblastoma, a very serious childhood cancer, can now be classified into different risk types. More accurate identification of risk types in cancer is critical, because it allows aggressive cancers to be treated more aggressively, while avoiding over-treatment of children at lower risk.

Contact

Professor Mary Dixon-Woods, University of Leicester
Tel: (+44) 116 2297262
Fax: (+44) 116 2297250
Email:
Website: http://www2.le.ac.uk/Members/md11/index_html

Professor Kathy Pritchard-Jones, Institute of Cancer Research
Tel: (+44) 020 8661 3498 (academic PA)
Tel: (+44) 020 8661 3452 (direct)
Fax: (+44) 020 8661 3617
Website: http://www.icr.ac.uk/research/research_profiles/3987.shtml

University of Leicester press contact:
Ather Mirza: ; 0116 252 3335

ESRC press contacts:
Kelly Barnett
Email:
Tel: 01793 413032

Danielle Moore
Email:
Tel: 01793 413122

Full source: Dixon-Woods M, Wilson D, Jackson C, Cavers D, Pritchard-Jones K. (2008) Human tissue and 'the public': the case of childhood cancer tumour banking. BioSocieties 3: 57-80

The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is the UK's largest funding agency for research and postgraduate training relating to social and economic issues. It supports independent, high quality research which impacts on business, the public sector and the third sector. The ESRC's planned total expenditure in 2008/09 is £203 million. At any one time the ESRC supports over 4,000 researchers and postgraduate students in academic institutions and research policy institutes. More at http://www.esrcsocietytoday.ac.uk

The Wellcome Trust is the largest charity in the UK. It funds innovative biomedical research, in the UK and internationally, spending around £650 million each year to support the brightest scientists with the best ideas. The Wellcome Trust supports public debate about biomedical research and its impact on health and wellbeing. http://www.wellcome.ac.uk