Plymouth joins international Cancer Prevention Network

Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry has joined the international Cancer Prevention Network (CPN) Consortium, in recognition of the importance of the University’s cancer-related research programmes.

The CPN was founded in 2003 by pioneering physicians from across the United States and Canada, with the objective of finding new ways of improving quality of life through cancer prevention – especially for diseases where treatment still offers a relatively poor prognosis.

The CPN Consortium brings together researchers and their clinical trials and allows promising scientific ideas to be tested in communities throughout the CPN. This means that the research that is carried out includes the numbers of participating patients and others that ensure meaningful and powerful research data.

The CPN now includes 30 member institutions from the USA, Canada and the UK, representing more than 100 physicians and 700 research professionals.

Cancer-related research is an important element of the full health research programme carried out by Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry. Conditions under investigation include: Barrett’s oesophagus, a condition associated with acid reflux and which if left untreated can lead to cancer of the oesophagus; and tumours of the brain and nervous system, for which the only current treatment is invasive surgery.

Professor Janusz Jankowski, Acting Associate Dean of Research at Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry, said: “The CPN Consortium is a prestigious and respected body which adds significantly to cancer research projects in the USA, Canada and the UK.

"As part of the Consortium we will be able to introduce a valuable international element to our research, with access to larger patient groups and leading expertise. This is excellent news for the future of cancer-related research at Plymouth University.”