Our cancer studies started in 1996 with the ABC (Anglian Breast Cancer) Study.  In 1999 we started recruiting patients with ovarian cancer.  The study was then extended to include colorectal and uterine cancers in 2000.  The whole project was renamed SEARCH in 2002.    As of 2005, the study has been extended to prostate cancers and melanoma. In 2003- 2009 we also recruited healthy control participants, i.e. people with no history of cancer to be used as comparisons with the cancer patients.

The studies are funded by a grant from Cancer Research U.K. and have been approved by the National Research Ethics Committee (NREC) East of England – Cambridge South.

With your help we have collected valuable data over the last 22 years which has contributed to world class research and international collaboration which depends on these continuing studies.

To investigate the relationship between infection with SARS-CoV-2 and cancer, we plan to link SEARCH data with Public Health England (PHE)’s COVID-19 test data. This information will help us to understand the epidemiology of Covid19 in cancer survivors, and may lead to better mitigation of the effects of the disease.

If you can contribute to funding this unique and valuable research, please send cheques (£ sterling from a UK bank)  made out to “Cambridge University” to Professor Paul Pharoah, SEARCH Study, Department of Oncology, Cambridge University, Strangeways Research Laboratory, Worts Causeway, Cambridge CB1 8RN, UK.