People with sarcoma need better access to research, clinical trials and new and innovative treatments.
Treatment options for sarcoma remain limited. Research funding lags behind more common cancers, too few new treatments are being developed and many people do not have the opportunity to take part in clinical trials.
Why this needs to change
- Only 11% of respondents to the National Sarcoma Survey 2025 were invited to take part in a clinical trial, down from 21% in 2020.
- 60% of respondents were not invited to take part in any research, compared with 50% in 2020.
- Access to research is not equal. More than half of those invited to take part in research lived within 50 miles of their specialist sarcoma centre.
- Sarcoma receives limited research funding compared with its incidence. The State of the Nation review found that Cancer Research UK spent £3 million – 0.75% of its £399 million research budget – on sarcoma in 2023/24.
- Clinical trials are not equally available across the UK. The State of the Nation review found that many trials are concentrated around London and the south of England, making participation more difficult for people who live further away.
- Funding, bureaucracy and the small market for rare cancers can make it harder to develop new treatments. The State of the Nation review heard that these barriers can delay trials and discourage pharmaceutical investment in sarcoma.
- Some people affected by sarcoma have looked at paying privately for novel treatments in the UK or overseas when suitable treatments or trials were not available through the NHS.
What we want to see change
Research into sarcoma needs greater investment to increase activity, improve access to clinical trials and develop new treatments.
By the end of 2027, the UK Government and Devolved Administrations should:
1. Review funding for sarcoma research
Review research funding to understand why investment in sarcoma falls short relative to its incidence, why people face barriers to taking part in clinical trials and why so few new treatments are being developed.
2. Develop a UK-wide research strategy
Develop a shared UK-wide research strategy for rare and less common cancers, including sarcoma.
This should address barriers such as market failure, increase research funding and clinical trial activity, improve equitable access to trials and speed up the development of new treatments.
3. Improve collaboration and coordination
Following the closure of the National Cancer Research Institute, charity funders should work together to promote collaboration in cancer research and support the coordination of clinical trials.
What difference would this make?
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