Arming for the Battle
Harpal Kumar discusses the role of technology in the global battle against cancer.

Cancer Research UK is the world's leading independent organisation dedicated to cancer research. We fund the work of more than 3,500 scientists, doctors and nurses around the country.

Our work has impact not just in the UK but around the world, with research stretching across every scientific discipline. We are part of a global effort that is pushing scientific and technological boundaries so that we can beat cancer on as many fronts as possible.

Technology extends and improves lives and prevents deaths. Our research is about bringing the weight of technology to bear on the challenges of this disease. This must not just continue - it must accelerate.

This is because the main risk factor for cancer is ageing, which is one thing technology cannot change. With the population of many countries getting older, we need to look to science and technology to try and control or minimise that risk.

Technology is incredibly important to the development of new cancer treatments.

Treatments such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and other anti-cancer drugs are designed, manufactured and delivered using cutting edge technology, all with the aim of reducing side effects and increasing their effectiveness.

Screening technologies for breast, cervical and now bowel cancers save thousands of lives every year and all have come about thanks to advances in technology.

Powerful computer systems that model biological processes and the shapes of molecules are helping medicinal chemists design drugs that can home in on tumours and destroy them, leaving healthy tissue unharmed.

Advances in radiotherapy are leading to more targeted treatments that are more effective but again leave healthy tissue unharmed. In particular, new types of radiotherapy that use protons show great promise as they can be adjusted to target tumours in very small and difficult to reach areas.

We are embracing the latest communication tools and using podcasts, web cams and the internet to get personalised information to patients and inform the public about how they can reduce their risk of cancer. Prevention is better than cure - our estimates put the number of cancers that could be prevented through lifestyle changes at around 50 per cent.

Technology is helping to revolutionise cancer research. Modern DNA sequencing methods have made it possible to survey the entire human genome for subtle differences in our genes. These whole-genome screens detect genetic variations across entire populations in the time that it used to take us to analyse single genes in one or two people. These advances can help us to understand better the links between genes, lifestyle and cancer. In the future we might be able to use this information to tailor prevention advice, monitoring of people at high risk and treatments to individuals. Already, in 2007, Cancer Research UK's studies have revealed the discovery of new genetic variants that increase a person's risk of developing breast or bowel cancer.

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a non-invasive imaging technique that holds real promise for improving many aspects of cancer care. PET uses molecules with special radioactive tags that then accumulate in tumours to detect changes in metabolism and growth. It can monitor a patient's response to treatment, helping scientists understand how drugs work at the molecular level.

Nanotechnology is an emerging area that is likely to have a huge impact on cancer treatment in the future, particularly for improving the delivery of cancer drugs to a target tumour. Our scientists have used gold nanoparticles to deliver light-activated drugs used in photodynamic therapy to cancer cells. The nanoparticles not only enhance the delivery of the drugs but actually could make the treatment more effective at killing the cancer cells.

Using the latest technology to harness the power of our own immune system is another front where we are making advances. We are developing treatments that supercharge the immune system and target it at cancer cells.

Cancer Research UK has published a set of goals that we believe should be the cancer targets for 2020 in the UK. Our goals range from diagnosing the disease earlier and ensuring the accurate flow of information about cancer to the public, to helping more people to survive cancer. All of these are goals built on a cornerstone of the latest research and technology.

We are at the centre of a global battle against cancer and technology remains one of our major weapons.