Clinical trials

A multi-centre, randomised study, to determine the feasibility of recruiting men and women with metastatic HER2 positive breast cancer to a study with a baseline MRI scan followed by randomising to surveillance by two further six-monthly MRI scans versus no further surveillance of the brain. Qualitative research (focus groups and/or interviews) and monitoring of approach and consent with SEAR framework will be embedded within the trial to achieve the primary endpoint and explore challenges with study implementation and delivery.

The current typical pathway for patients with enlarged lymph glands is to undergo a fine needle aspirate (FNA) under ultrasound, which is then reported by histopathology, typically within one week. If it's suspicious for a lymphoma, when the patient returns to clinic, a core/ excision biopsy is arranged. The current waiting time for a biopsy, either surgically or via radiology, is 2-4 weeks. After the biopsy has been performed, the HODS (Haemato-Oncology Diagnostic Service) turn-around time for lymph node biopsy is 2 - 3 weeks (urgent, or routine samples, according to key performance metrics). It is therefore challenging to achieve a 28-day faster diagnosis for lymphoma patients. The purpose of this project is to perform flow cytometry for immunophenotyping on FNA samples to rapidly screen and potentially identify patients who have lymphoma.

This project aims to improve care, service delivery, and patient experience for people with Cancer of Unknown Primary (CUP) by addressing a critical gap in understanding the lived experiences of patients and carers. By exploring how individuals navigate diagnostic uncertainty, fragmented care pathways, and interactions with healthcare professionals, the study will identify key points of distress, unmet need, and communication breakdown. The findings will support the development of more person-centred and compassionate care, including clearer communication, improved service coordination, and better recognition of the psychological and emotional impact of CUP. By highlighting the challenges of uncertainty and lack of diagnostic clarity, the project will inform more tailored support for both patients and carers. A unique strength of this study is the inclusion of a professional illustrator to visually capture focus group discussions, supporting the narrative inquiry approach and aiding the interpretation of shared meanings within the data. These visual summaries will enhance engagement, inclusivity, and accessibility, ensuring that complex experiences are communicated clearly to patients, carers, clinicians, and wider audiences. Through strong PPIE involvement and accessible dissemination, patient and carer voices will directly inform service improvements and future care design. Overall, this project will help ensure CUP care is more coordinated, communicative, inclusive, and responsive to patient and carer needs, ultimately improving experience, wellbeing, and trust in healthcare services.

There is a need to improve accessibility to research and clinical trials within the NHS. Key groups are consistently under-represented in research: those from minority ethnic backgrounds, those with lower socio-economic status and those with impaired capacity. This leads to inequality of healthcare and an inequality of patient experience. Increasing access to research would not only broaden research opportunities and bridge gaps in health equality; diverse research representation means better understanding of disease mechanisms and greater generalisability of findings across the patient population. There are well described socio-economic issues across the region that this trust serves within Cheshire and Merseyside. This brings health challenges for patients. Clatterbridge Cancer Centre is a large networked cancer centre serving Cheshire and Merseyside using a hub model. Research is a core strategic theme; it is hugely important that it is understood not only the areas and hotspots of cancer across the region, but also that patients with those cancers can access a portfolio of research that serves a distinct patient need. Currently there is a lack of such triangulated information within the Trust, which may mean that patient need remains unmet. Therefore the research is designed to understand any barriers that patients may have in accessing research, in tandem with a demographic review and mapping of patient referral and access to the current trials portfolio. This will lead to a truly patient centred approach in accessing research.

LBCL is a cancer of the lymphatic system where B-cells (a type of white blood cell) experience uncontrolled growth. The standard treatment for LBCL is a combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy, referred to as chemo-immunotherapy. Currently, the best results in the treatment of LBCL is with a chemo-immunotherapy combination called R-CHOP or Pola-R-CHP. Full doses of treatment are not suitable for elderly or frail patients due to potential to cause side effects and heart problems. Such patients either receive a reduced dose called mini-R-CHOP or receive alternatives (e.g. R-GCVP or R-CEOP). Additionally, some patients treated with R-CHOP or Pola-R-CHP may not respond or may respond initially before relapsing. For these patients, treatment is not standardised, and practice varies between hospitals. ALMANAC aims to collect data about the management and outcomes of patients with LBCL who are unsuitable for standard treatments because they are not well enough to tolerate the side effects or because they have not responded or relapsed following initial treatment. In doing so, it will guide research into LBCL leading to a better understanding of this condition and better outcomes.