New funding to further unlock cancer data that could save lives across the UK

New investment of £339,000 will help researchers identify who is most at risk of cancer and why some communities are far less likely to be screened — potentially transforming how the NHS targets early detection.

ADR UK has awarded the funding to the Cancer Data-Driven Detection (CD3) programme, a major UK-wide initiative jointly supported by Cancer Research UK, the National Institute for Health and Social Care Research (NIHR), the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the Peter Sowerby Foundation, Health Data Research UK (HDR UK), and ADR UK.

The programme brings together multidisciplinary researchers, clinicians, data scientists, patient and public partners, and organisations from across the health and administrative data ecosystem.

The new investment, running until March 2028, will allow researchers to securely link cancer screening, diagnosis and health records with wider population data — building a clearer picture of why screening patterns and cancer outcomes vary so sharply between different communities and what can be done about it.

The project team will link data from different sources to develop advanced analytical models, including AI-based approaches, to help scientists more accurately identify individuals at the highest risk of developing cancer. 

The tools developed will enable clinicians to predict personalised cancer risk and offer tailored strategies for cancer detection and prevention.

Early work from a feasibility phase of the programme has already revealed new patterns in breast and bowel cancer screening participation across different population groups in Wales, using linked census and health record data held within the SAIL Databank, the national trusted research environment for Wales.

The success of the CD3 programme hinges on linking multiple health and administrative datasets, including screening data that have historically been difficult to access for research.

This further investment is a significant step forward. It will enable us to build on the progress already made, deepen our understanding of cancer risk and screening patterns, and develop the evidence needed to support more effective prevention and earlier detection strategies. Ultimately, this work has the potential to transform how we identify people at risk of cancer and address inequalities in cancer burden and outcomes across different populations.

- Professor Antonis Antoniou, Director of CD3 and Professor of Cancer Risk Prediction at the University of Cambridge

The next phase will expand data linkage across the UK, drawing on screening and diagnosis records alongside wider administrative datasets to help researchers, policymakers and health professionals tackle persistent disparities in cancer diagnosis and care.

Dr Emma Gordon, Director of ADR UK, said: "The CD3 partnership has already shown how securely linked data can generate powerful new insights into cancer inequalities and screening participation. This new investment reflects ADR UK's commitment to enabling research that improves health outcomes in the UK and delivers real-world impact."

Professor Ashley Akbari of Swansea University said: "By combining the strengths of the SAIL Databank, ADR Wales, healthcare partners and academic researchers, we have created a powerful research environment capable of securely linking complex anonymised data sources at population scale. Continued ADR UK funding will allow us to further develop these rich data assets, providing researchers with unprecedented opportunities to understand cancer risk, screening behaviours and inequalities."

Head of Prevention and Early Detection Research at Cancer Research UK, Dr Talisia Quallo, said of the programme: “With half a million cancer cases per year expected in the UK by 2040, we need a major shift towards more accurate diagnosis and detection of early cancer. The Cancer Data Driven Detection programme is helping to build the powerful tools doctors need to identify those at highest risk of cancer, enabling earlier detection and diagnosis while also helping us better understand who could benefit most from preventative approaches.”