UK Study Reveals Major Funding Gap for Top Childhood Cancer Priorities Chosen by Families

University of Surrey report finds a major gap in UK cancer research, with five top patient-chosen priorities receiving no funding between 2020 and 2025.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 24, 2026, 11:48 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from University of Surrey

The Disconnect Between Funding and Patient Priorities

A comprehensive analysis of childhood cancer research in the UK has uncovered a structural gap between the questions that matter most to patients and the studies that receive financial backing. The report, led by researchers at the University of Surrey, mapped nearly £113 million in funding across 452 studies. The findings show that while the top two research priorities are well-supported, a significant portion of the "James Lind Alliance" priorities remain entirely unfunded. Most notably, the number one priority specifically chosen by children—making the hospital experience better—has received no dedicated funding over the five-year period reviewed.

A Heavy Concentration on Pre-Clinical Treatment

The data reveals that the vast majority of research investment is directed toward a single goal: developing better and kinder treatments. Approximately 81% of studies and £94 million of the total funding focused on this priority. While researchers emphasize that treatment research is life-saving and essential, the heavy concentration on pre-clinical studies has left other vital areas underrepresented. Three-quarters of the funded research was pre-clinical, leaving topics such as psychosocial wellbeing, patient experience, and life after cancer with a disproportionately small share of the national research budget.

The Five "Zero Funding" Research Priorities

The study identified five specific priorities that attracted no funding whatsoever between 2020 and 2025. These include: