In January, Cancer Research UK announced £10m of funding for theCancer Data-Driven Detection (CD3) Programme, an ambitious initiative designed to leverage the UK’s huge health data assets to revolutionise cancer detection and prevention by identifying individuals at higher risk of developing cancer.
CD3 aims to facilitate earlier diagnoses, more personalised prevention, and improved patient outcomes. But to get the most out of CD3 we need to see some changes in the UK’s health data infrastructure. Here we explore what those changes need to be, and how CD3 can align with government’s priorities.
CD3 sounds promising, but how can we ensure it’s a success?
Although the UK supports some of the most exciting data driven research globally, we are not making the most of its promise. There has been positive movement recently with the creation of the NHSE SDE Research network. It’s important that the UK government builds on its existing infrastructure to allow data to be shared and accessed securely with public and patient support.
Here are three things government needs to do now:
1 – Getting the right data at the right time
High-quality, linked health data — combining information and data from different sources that relate to the same person — is essential to the success of CD3. But currently, disparate systems and complex governance frameworks hinder progress. Delays and cancellations of research projects due to data accessibility issues highlights the need for reform. Currently datasets across and even within the four nations of the UK use different standards and have different access protocols. Larger datasets provide more powerful insights making UK-wide data sharing essential. The current model makes data linkage too time consuming and too costly.
In November 2024 the Sudlow review was published and set out a bold vision to make the most of UK health data. Its recommendations offered sensible ways to address these barriers, particularly the creation of a Health Data Research service (HDRS). Whilst current efforts to fix the system are appreciated and very valuable, overall reform is needed to really allow researchers to use data to its full potential. A HDRS would act as a single hub and centralise the access protocols in England. If created, and sustainably funded, data access would be streamlined enabling secure, efficient data linkages.
2 – Making GP and screening data available for research
CD3 relies on multiple health datasets, including GP and screening data, which have historically been hard to access for research.
GPs in England control their patients primary care data, complicating links to other datasets even when there is patient consent. Just 1 in 5 GPs have allowed their patients’ data to be linked with UK Biobank, one of our most important multimodal health datasets, despite patients’ explicit consent. In October Wes Streeting announced plans to allow consented primary care data to be shared with large research programmes like UK Biobank. This is positive but DHSC needs to go further and ensure that select GP data can be accessed by all researchers who need it beyond select programmes.
Similarly, screening data have long been siloed. NHSE has been working with Cancer Research UK and other partners in theCancer Data Collaborative to address this, but the lack of connectivity with screening data to other health datasets is still a stumbling block to making the most effective predictive models. Accessing and linking these data will be a major focus of the initial stages of CD3.
3 –Ensuring public support
Public trust is the cornerstone of data-driven research. Ensuring data privacy and engaging patients in transparent, inclusive discussions are vital to ensure that the public feel confident that their data are being used for what is in their best interests. Mistakes here, real or perceived, have the potential to undermine any positive advances. It’s critical to develop and roll out a comprehensive programme of proactive communication and engagement to obtain public views and help build public confidence and understanding.
A further concerted effort is needed to inform and gather opinions from the public about the benefits and limitations of data-driven risk-stratified screening and prevention approaches. Clear, transparent communication will be key in gaining public acceptance and trust.
If we get these right, what can CD3 do?
Born from Cancer Research UK’sEarly Detection and Diagnosis Roadmap, our strategy for the future of early detection, and Cancer Research UK’sResearch Data Strategy, our strategy for the future of data and AI, CD3 is jointly funded by Cancer Research UK, NIHR, and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. The initial investment will be used to build infrastructure, train new data scientists, and create the algorithms behind the risk models that aim to change how we detect, prevent and treat cancer.
These models will have the potential to enable tailored screening schedules, proactive interventions, and earlier treatment, ultimately improving survival rates and reducing the NHS burden. Finding people with the highest risk of developing cancer is a large challenge and every second counts when treating. Understanding who are likely to need interventions could be critical for saving lives.
How CD3 Will Help Deliver Economic Growth and a Healthier Society?
We believe that CD3 is more than just an outstanding research programme—it has the potential to advance the government’s growth and health missions, while also delivering on key priorities such as early detection, the shift from care to prevention, and harnessing AI’s potential.
Diagnose early
Cancer that’s diagnosed at an early stage is more likely to be treated successfully. International comparisons reveal that while England has made strides in cancer survival, late diagnoses remain a significant barrier to achieving outcomes comparable to countries like Australia.*
A future where we use insights from CD3 to know who is more likely to get cancer is a future where we have the best chance of early diagnosis. We know that cancer has a cost to our economy, and by diagnosing earlier we can reduce the cost of care as well as improve patient outcomes. This will ensure that more individuals receive timely and effective treatment. By optimising resource allocation within healthcare systems, we can reduce strain on hospitals.
From sickness to prevention
We’re also excited about CD3’s prospect of helping shift from illness to prevention. By leveraging data science and AI to help the creation of personalised risk scores, it could enable individuals to more proactively manage their health, and healthcare professionals to identify those at a greater risk. This could lead to earlier interventions, lifestyle modifications, and tailored invitations to screening, ultimately reducing the incidence and severity of disease and allowing patients to live longer, better lives.
AI Opportunities
This represents a critical opportunity for the government to harness AI, integrating cutting-edge technology into national healthcare systems and delivering on the promise to shift from analogue to digital. AI and data are at the heart of the government’s growth plans, with the aim for Britain to step up and shape the AI revolution. The recent AI Opportunities Action Plan sets out in detail the UK’s vision on AI, and groundbreaking programmes like this are how that vision becomes a reality.