Pro-Cancer-Research Fund is a registered charity and a support group for pioneering research into early diagnosis and treatment of cancer by Professor Mustafa Djamgoz and his team at Imperial College, London.  This premier academic institution is currently ranked fifth in the world for bio-medicine.

The charity was set up in 2002 following a Sunday Times article about Professor Djamgoz’s breakthrough research in the treatment of brain cells.  He found a way to differentiate between cancerous cells which will spread and cancerous cells which do not. 

He believes this discovery will assist in the earlier diagnosis of cancer and his “neuro-science solutions to cancer” might eliminate today’s use of chemotherapy.  The drawbacks of “chemo” are that it has many unpleasant side effects and attacks both cancerous and non-cancerous cells.

At present the team’s work is focused on prostate and breast cancer, but they are confident their new techniques can benefit all sufferers from the disease. 

Results so far are described as “highly promising” and in some cases tumours have been reduced by up to fifty per cent.  Money is now needed to fund further research before Professor Djamgoz and his team can embark on clinical trials.

Aside from this work, PCRF is also helping to fund a London drop-in centre for cancer sufferers and their relatives.  The Amber Care Centre opened in November, 2005 and has already treated many patients.

Present methods

Currently all cancers, including breast and prostate, are diagnosed by examination and invasive biopsy, and will be treated using cyto-toxic drugs (chemotherapy) and radiation.  These traditional treatments have saved lives but have radical side effects that in some cases are long lasting. 

Chemotherapy is not able to differentiate between normal and cancerous cells and will attack all cells.  Radiotherapy can in some cases cause radiotherapy induced cancers.

It is therefore important to look for methods that do not have severe side effects.  Chemotherapy can cause vomiting, nausea, hair loss, memory problems, sensitivity to noise and smell etc.

Why this research is different

Professor Djamgoz has pioneered a new approach by looking at cancer cells in the same way he looked at neural or brain cells.  He has discovered that some of the metastatic cancers, those that will spread, had certain characteristics not present in tumours that do not spread.

In cancer the danger is when the cells spread and migrate to other cells and organs or grow abnormally large and cause damage to surrounding cells or organs.

In diagnosis, the challenge is to find tests which differentiate, at a very early stage, between cancers which will spread and those which will not.  As the danger lies with those that spread, it is vital this information is available to the oncologist as early as possible.

A new approach

With the methods being developed by Professor Djamgoz, researchers are hopeful they will be able to diagnose the nature of the cancer cells from the very earliest stages through a blood test.  This is much easier than methods currently available, with minimum risk of complications. 

Once they have discovered what the cells are likely to do, they are looking at treatments which only recognise cancer cells and will not damage healthy cells. This is extremely exciting because there will be minimum side effects if normal cells remain untouched.

Results so far

The work is currently at a pre-clinical stage but the results are proving very promising.  In some cases the team has been able to reduce tumours by up to fifty percent in a relatively short time.  Money is needed for this work to proceed to the second stage so that more research can be carried out before the results become clinically available.

Professor Djamgoz believes his discoveries may also apply to other cancers, although his group is concentrating on prostate and breast cancer for the moment.

 Please help us raise much needed funds to continue this great line of research

www.procanresfun.com