Cancer Research UK has announced plans to invest GBP45m into its network of clinical trials units throughout the country. It marks one of the charity's largest clinical research investments to date.

The clinical trial units (CTUs) enable world-leading researchers and clinicians to work together on the discovery of new life-saving treatments and test for cancer patients. It is believed that around 25,000 people take part in clinical trials supported by Cancer Research UK every year.

The charity will divide its huge investment across eight CTUs over the course of five years. The sites include Cardiff, Birmingham, Glasgow, Southampton and Leeds. In London, it will go to The Institute of Cancer Research, UCL and Queen Mary University of London.

Chief clinician at the charity, Professor Charles Swanton, said: "Our clinical research enables us to translate discoveries from the lab in order to improve cancer diagnostics and treatments, giving more patients the best chance of beating their disease.

"This is particularly important for patients with hard to treat cancers, including pancreatic, oesophageal, lung and brain tumours, where options for treatment are limited and survival rates remain poor."

The units are a vital part of the charity's research network, specialising in the design, delivery and analysis of trials that aim to provide patients with the latest scientific developments. Not only do they help to shape the clinical research landscape of the UK, but this also spreads across the globe.

Each CTU has a different specialist focus, including children's cancer trials, cancer screening and population research.

Birmingham's unit, for instance, will receive dedicated funding for the discovery on new treatments for children with cancer.

Director of Birmingham's Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials unit, Professor Pamela Kearns, commented: "Clinical trials are vital to test new treatments and improve the care of children with cancer.

"For example, within my team, with support from Cancer Research UK, we run the International BEACON trial, testing new combinations of therapies for children and young people with a type of childhood cancer called neuroblastoma, at a stage where they have failed to respond to standard treatments.

"One question this trial is trying to answer is if a drug called bevacizumab can help treat their neuroblastoma. Bevacizumab is a type of biological therapy called a monoclonal antibody that targets the tumour's blood supply.

"Doctors already treat adult cancers with this drug and we want to see if it works for children with neuroblastoma."

Meanwhile, BBC News reports that the Cancer Research UK will invest nearly GBP4.5m into cancer research in Scotland.

The Glasgow University unit is focused on finding treatments for patients with brain tumours, pancreatic cancer, lung and prostate cancers.

Clinical trial unit lead, Professor Robert Jones, said: "The cancer research programme in Glasgow is fully geared towards making new discoveries and translating those discoveries into real improvements for patients.

"Clinical trials are vital to test new treatments. For example, we are now running the PRIMUS trials in pancreatic cancer, a common cancer for which there are currently few effective treatments."