Oxford CRUK Clinical Trials Unit Collaboration
Launched in 2023, the Oxford CRUK Clinical Trials Unit (CTU) is the first dedicated unit in the UK aiming to deliver a a portfolio of precision prevention and early detection cancer trials. It is a partnership between Oxford’s Oncology Clinical Trials Office (OCTO) and the Primary Care Clinical Trials Unit (PC-CTU).
Currently, nearly half of all cancers are diagnosed at a late stage when they are harder to treat successfully.
The Oxford CRUK CTU team will trial new strategies for detecting cancer earlier and undertake so-called precision prevention trials – trials of targeted preventative therapies in groups of people at a defined higher risk of cancer.
Many of the interventions tested by the CTU will have evolved from Oxford’s translational cancer early detection and precision prevention research, coordinated by the Oxford Centre for Early Cancer Detection (OxCODE). The trials run by the CTU are designed to collect valuable samples over a period of time that can be studied by researchers to provide insights into cancer development and to identify the next generation of detection biomarkers and targets for prevention.
The CTU ultimately aims to reduce the burden of cancer care on the NHS.
Our team
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Sarah Blagden
Professor of Experimental Oncology
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Ly Mee Yu
Professor of Clinical Trials and Biostatistics
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Brian Nicholson
Primary Care Physician and Early Detection
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Sarah Pearson
OCTO Trial Management Director
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Sharon Tonner
Senior Project Manager
Current Trials
Take a look at our current precision prevention and early detection trials.
"I am delighted that we have been awarded this funding from Cancer Research UK. This investment will allow us to work with scientists within and outside Oxford to develop ways to prevent cancer or detect it at earlier stages. This is particularly important for people who have risk factors and who currently live in fear in developing cancer. By working closely with our Primary care team, we intend to increase our geographical reach to involve people across the entirety of the UK."
- Professor Sarah Blagden, Lead for Oxford Cancer Trials Office (OCTO)
"I am thrilled about the opportunity to be part of this collaboration and looking forward to contribute our expertise to deliver studies that will translate innovation into patient and public benefit."
- Associate Professor, Ly-Mee Yu, PC-CTU Deputy Director and Early Detection Co-Lead
More about PC-CTU
More about OCTO
