General information
Cancer Research UK was launched in February 2002 following the merger of The Cancer Research Campaign and Imperial Cancer Research Fund. Our history reaches back over a hundred years, and we are now the world's leading charity dedicated to saving lives through research. We have been at the heart of the progress that has already seen survival rates double in the last 40 years.
We have discovered new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer that have together saved millions of lives across the world. And we work in partnership with others to achieve the greatest impact in the global fight against cancer. Our vision is that together we will beat cancer, and we have set ambitious goals over the coming years to help achieve this.
What we do
Cancer Research UK funds the work of over 4,000 scientists, doctors and nurses in over 30 towns across the UK. We are entirely funded by the public. We receive no government funding for our research. Last year we spent £334 million on cancer research activities carried out in institutes, hospitals and universities across the UK.
Our scientists carry out wide-ranging research, from understanding how cancer starts and grows through to developing new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat different forms of the disease.
Our impact
Our research has already had a major impact on the way that people with cancer are treated today, and we have played a leading role in many of the major breakthroughs over the past century. For example, our scientists and doctors have contributed to most of the world's top cancer drugs.
You can find out more about our progress and achievements over the last 100 years from our website: