Public Health England launches new cancer database

The world's largest single database of cancer patients is being set up by Public Health England (PHE), marking the culmination of a five-year project.

Delivering near real-time cancer data and detailed clinical information on all 350,000 cancers diagnosed each year in England, the database is also set to include more than 11 million historical cancer records, dating back 30 years.

It has been formed by merging the eight existing English cancer registries and will provide doctors with instant access to detailed information on how tumours react to different types of treatment, eventually allowing users to assess the responses of individual cancer variants.

Jem Rashbass, national director of disease registration at PHE, said: "This resource is unmatched anywhere else in the world, but is essential if we are to deliver the best cancer treatment and care to each individual."

The move has been welcomed as a potentially "game-changing" development by leading charity group Cancer Research UK.