CAMBRIDGE CANCER RESEARCH HOSPITAL NEWSLETTER: DECEMBER 2025
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 There’s a lot to be positive about at the moment for those of us working in cancer. We’ve seen some fantastic new developments in Cambridge, including new treatments for liver cancer and clinics providing same day diagnosis for kidney cancer. I’ m reminded every day that our new cancer hospital can only happen in this city.
The co-location of research and world leading clinical care is paramount. I am currently working with colleagues across the Cambridge Biomedical Campus (including Cambridge University Hospitals and the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre) and beyond on our new model of integrated research and care, to transform the way we prevent, diagnose and treat cancer. This includes developing the plans for our three new research institutes inside the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital and how we can harness the powerhouse of the Cambridge ecosystem to collaborate effectively with our academic and industry partners.
We’ve also covered a huge amount of ground (literally!) this year. We completed the enabling works for Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital, including the archaeology, and we’re now at the final stage of the design process before we start construction. It’s an exciting time as we develop the technical design, and see the vision turned into detailed specifications and plans (see below our new visualisation of construction). The safety of staff and patients remains as always our priority, and we are working with our design and construction team to ensure we meet the latest Building Safety Act regulations.
We are also working on how our hospital will operate on a day-to-day basis including the pathways or ‘roadmaps’ of care. Our goal is to ensure the entire region benefits from the new hospital, with more care delivered closer to home. To make this happen, we’re working closely with the East of England Cancer Alliance and our primary care partners to ensure we are looking at all parts of our patients' journeys. Our patients continue to help shape the plans and we are hugely grateful for their input.
There are some exciting events coming-up in the next few months (listed below) and we hope to see some of you there. In the meantime, thank you for all your support.
Many thanks,
Sarah Burge, Director of Clinical Integration, University of Cambridge
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Watch our New Hospital Rise from the Ground
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Discover how our new cancer hospital could take shape in this architect's visualisation, presenting the proposed construction process and digital tour of the facility. This video uses advances in new technology to illustrate how CCRH could be developed.
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Addenbrooke’s Hosted Live Channel 4 Programme for Stand Up To Cancer
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Live interviews with our cancer staff and patients took place at Addenbrooke's Hospital during the Cancer Clinic: Live one-off special broadcast on Friday 12 December.
For the first time on UK television, viewers saw clinical consultations with cancer specialists from Addenbrooke’s and Royal Papworth Hospitals unfold in real time.
Cambridge is home to the largest life sciences cluster in Europe and one of the most productive communities of cancer researchers in the world. The campus is also the site for the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital which will bring together academia, industry and clinical excellence under one roof, to transform the way cancer is diagnosed and treated.
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Visit from the Government's New Hospital Programme
Colleagues from the New Hospital Programme and the Department of Health and Social Care visited Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) in August to discuss progress on our plans for the future Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital.
They also met leading consultants, professors and researchers from CUH and the University of Cambridge to explore how our vision of integrating research and clinical spaces within the new hospital will accelerate innovation—transforming scientific discovery into clinical care and delivering real benefits for patients. |
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Bridging the Gap Between Innovation and Care in the Fight Against Cancer
Find out how Cambridge is leading a transformative approach to cancer care by integrating cutting-edge research with clinical practice.
In this article written for the thought leadership series, The Cambridge Perspective, Sarah Burge discusses how innovation happens when people think differently.
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Social Media Star GK Barry Visits Teenage Cancer Trust Unit at CUH
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Social media influencer and TV star Grace Keeling (known as GK Barry) visited CUH to spread some cheer to teenagers from the East of England region being treated for cancer.
The podcast host, presenter and DJ visited the Teenage Cancer Trust ward this summer with girlfriend, footballer Ella Rutherford, and G K Barry was excited to hear how work has already started with young adults across the East of England to help design the future space.
The unit will be moving into the new Teenage and Young Adult ward when Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital opens. Work has already started with young adults across the East of England to help design the future space, which GK Barry found exciting and praised the need for the new hospital.
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Addenbrooke’s Begins Innovative Liver Cancer Treatment for First NHS Patients in Europe
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Cambridge University Hospitals has delivered the first histotripsy treatment to a patient outside of a clinical trial in Europe.The pioneering procedure uses ultrasound energy to target and destroy tumours.
Understanding how we can treat cancer more precisely through kinder non-invasive methods will be at the heart of our model of care in our planned Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital.
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New One-Stop Kidney Clinic Provides Same Day Diagnosis and Halves Cancer Waiting Times
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In a UK first, a one-stop kidney cancer clinic at Addenbrooke’s Hospital is pioneering an ultra-fast way of diagnosing cancer, which is cutting waiting times for patients by a month.
A team are using a confocal microscope to diagnose biopsy samples in the clinic within minutes – reducing anxiety, cutting the number of hospital visits patients have to make and allowing treatment to begin sooner.
The kidney clinic was influenced by work underway on service improvement as part of the developing plans for Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital fed into plans for the new kidney clinic.
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Pioneering Breast Cancer Programme Opens in More Hospitals across the East
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Patients being treated as part of the Personalised Breast Cancer Programme (PBCP), which began at Addenbrooke's Hospital, have their DNA 'read like a barcode', and the whole genome of their tumour sequenced, so that information about their specific cancer can be used to inform treatment.
Funded by Cancer Research UK, the ground-breaking Personalised Breast Cancer Programme (PBCP), which could potentially save thousands of lives, has now opened at the James Paget University Hospital NHS Trust in Great Yarmouth and at Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
This means more people in the East are set to benefit from personalised treatment, potentially saving thousands of lives, as access to the programme is expanded. So far, nearly 1,800 patients have been enrolled in the study.
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Andrea Hunt: Matron of the Cancer Day Unit
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Watch Andrea in this video discuss her passion for nursing, working at Addenbrooke's for over 25 years, and her hopes and aspirations for the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital.
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Henno Martin is a consultant oncologist at Cambridge University Hospitals. He is also the inpatient model of care lead for Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital. We discuss his involvement in the project, the fulfilling parts of his job, and why we need a specialist cancer research hospital for the East of England. |
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Building Relationships with UK Cancer Professionals Around the Country
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Our team have been busy getting to know other healthcare professionals working in cancer across the country.
Colleagues travelled to the Royal Marsden in London and visited the recently opened Oak Centre.The new facility brings together cancer outpatient, day unit and research services.
Elaine Chapman, Lead Advisory Nurse said: "I found everyone to be very welcoming, open, and friendly, and they were eager to share and learn from us as well. The space was thoughtfully designed, with plenty of natural light and areas for collaboration and relaxation for both staff and patients."
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Over £40k Raised at Dragon Boat Festival
Many thanks to everyone who took part or cheered on the teams in this year's Dragon Boat Festival, raising vital funds for the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital.
Nikki Murphy, Deputy Project Director for Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital said: "We entered our own crew for the second year running and it was fabulous to have our team of staff and patients involved. Many thanks to Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust for organising such a great event!"
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Award for Cancer Film Featuring CUH Staff
A film featuring breast cancer specialists at Addenbrooke’s Hospital has won a well-deserved award.
The film, Shades of Survival, won the Cambridge Film Festival 2025 Audience Award for the Best Documentary Feature.
Professor Charlotte Coles, Professor Jean Abraham and Ms Georgette Oni from Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust were all featured in the film about global inequalities in breast cancer care for Black women.
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Nursing and Allied Health Professionals Networking Event
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On Tuesday 27 January from 10am to 4pm, the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute will host a networking event for clinicians, researchers, and nursing and allied health practitioners on improving patient outcomes and advancing cancer care through collaboration and research.
This year’s annual networking event will spotlight innovative approaches and champion inclusive practices that empower both patients and professionals within the cancer care community.
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Symposium on the Cancer Metabolism and the Tumour Microenvironment
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The Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre are organising this special symposium on Tuesday 24 February at Magdalene College, Cambridge. The event will include a deep dive into the research on cancer metabolism and the tumour microenvironment.
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Join ACT on Thursday 7 May 2026, as a team of fifteen people embark on this incredible adventure, raising money for the two planned Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital and Cambridge Children's Hospitals. The trek will take you to a remote section of the Great Wall of China, from Gubeikou to Jinshanling and Simatai. |
Cambridge Half Marathon: Raise Vital Funds for Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital
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There is still time to secure a place in the sold out TTP Cambridge Half Marathon 2026 by joining our amazing Team Addenbrooke’s runners, raising funds for Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital. |
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Patients and their families are involved in the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital programme in two groups; the Patient Network and the Patient Advisory Group (PAG). For more information on how to join, please visit our website.Fundraising and philanthropy have already transformed global healthcare. Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital is your chance to play a powerful part in saving and improving the lives of people with cancer for generations to come. If you would like to know more about how you can change the story of cancer, then please find out about donating and fundraising.
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