Guernsey Launches Island-Based Cancer Trial Partnership Enabling Blood Cancer Patients to Contribute to UK Research Without Travel
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A new initiative called Island and Institutes partners Business Beats Cancer Guernsey (search) with the universities of Southampton and Sussex to bring clinical research access to the island.
Blood cancer (search) patients in Guernsey can now consent to have excess blood and tissue samples transported to the UK for use in ongoing clinical trials without needing to travel.
Lead oncologist Peter Gomes stated the program would be "very positive" in allowing patients to contribute to research that improves treatments for all.
Cancer patients in Guernsey will now be able to participate in clinical research conducted in the United Kingdom without ever leaving the island, thanks to a newly launched partnership that addresses a longstanding barrier to trial access for the island community.
The initiative, named Island and Institutes, is a collaboration between Business Beats Cancer Guernsey (search) — a fundraising sub-committee of Cancer Research — and the universities of Southampton and Sussex. It enables blood cancer (search) patients receiving care on the island to give permission for excess blood and tissue samples, collected as part of their routine treatment, to be transported to UK laboratories for use in ongoing clinical trials.
Peter Gomes, lead medical oncologist at the Bulstrode Oncology Unit, described the development as "very positive," emphasizing that it would allow patients to contribute to research aimed at improving treatments for all. The model removes the burden of travel during active treatment, a challenge that Neale Jehan from Business Beats Cancer highlighted as particularly difficult for cancer patients.
"Travelling during treatment was difficult, so this new initiative, which is still aligned to our focus on clinical research, transports samples from the patients, without them needing to travel," Jehan said.
David Dutton, honorary clinical senior lecturer at the University of Southampton, noted that the partnership would provide "opportunities for the people of Guernsey to be involved in exciting clinical and scientific research."
The charity indicated that results from the research would be bespoke to the island and shared with the relevant oncology team as part of larger research initiatives. This feedback loop could ultimately lead to more targeted treatments becoming available locally, enhancing the island's oncology capabilities.
Currently, on-island treatment options include chemotherapy, targeted drugs, immunotherapy, and antibody-drug combinations. The new sample-collection pathway adds a research dimension to the existing clinical services without requiring additional infrastructure or patient travel, potentially serving as a model for other geographically isolated communities seeking to participate in multicenter clinical research.