Health,

£1.2m Boost for Southampton Research to Personalise Breast Cancer Treatment

Good News Post

Oct 17, 2025 — 2 min read

Machine used to measure body composition. Credit: WCRF - Supplied University of Southampton

By Health Correspondent

A team of cancer scientists and clinicians at the University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton has received £1.2 million from the World Cancer Research Fund to improve breast cancer treatment.

Led by Professors Ellen Copson and Ramsey Cutress, the researchers will study how body composition – including levels of body fat and muscle – and physical activity affect how patients respond to cancer treatment.

Currently, doctors use simple measurements like weight and height to guide chemotherapy doses.

The team hopes that using detailed body scans and exercise data will help create more personalised and effective treatment plans, reducing side effects and improving outcomes.

The new funding will allow the team to explore how body composition influences patient responses not only to chemotherapy but also to targeted therapies, immunotherapies, and hormonal treatments.

Their research programme, called CANDO (Cancer and Nutrition: Discovering Outcomes), has already collected data from 300 breast cancer patients in Southampton.

The team will now expand the study across seven NHS trusts to include a more diverse group of participants.

Professor Cutress said:

“This funding will help us understand how body composition, exercise, and nutrition affect outcomes and tailor cancer treatments for each individual.”

Professor Copson added:

“Our aim is to make cancer therapies safer and more effective, giving clinicians and patients better information to guide treatment choices.”

Breast cancer remains the most common cancer in women, with over 55,000 new UK cases each year.

Researchers hope that this study will lead to a more personalised approach to cancer care across the NHS within the next decade.

Just email us at news@goodnewspost.co.uk.

Whether it's a local hero, an act of kindness, or a personal win, your story could help spread joy and improve someone’s mental health. Let’s make the world a little brighter, one good news story at a time.

And don’t forget—you can sign up for free to get the latest feel-good stories straight to your inbox!

London Communities Gain 200 New Defibrillators in Life-Saving Expansion

By Health Correspondent Communities across London will have better access to life-saving defibrillators as the Mayor of London donates £150,000 to the London Ambulance Charity. The huge donation – on Restart a Heart Day – means the charity’s London Heart Starters campaign has reached its target to install 200 defibrillators

The Entitled Sons Visit Priory Community School

By Isabella (13) The Entitled Sons - a local band from Somerset - visited Priory Community School last week. The alternative band is made up of four brothers (Billy, Charlie, Raffey, and Laurie) and their dad (Graham). They performed for Years 10 and 11, then talked about their experiences with

Air Ambulance Creates Army of Lifesavers for Restart a Heart Day on 16 October

By Health Correspondent Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex (KSS) is creating an army of lifesavers by providing FREE sessions on how to give CPR and use a defibrillator in a series of livestreamed and in-person events to support national Restart a Heart Day on Thursday 16 October. Thousands of

Bethany Branson Memorial Match Returns to Honour Beloved Teen and Celebrate Women’s Rugby

By Jill Dando News A family from Bridgwater is inviting the community to come together this November to remember the life of “kind and caring” 19-year-old Bethany Branson — whose legacy continues to inspire through sport, kindness, and compassion. Bethany tragically lost her life in November 2022 when the car she