SCORES of Gwent cancer patients have signed up to take part in clinical trials of drugs and therapies in the ongoing effort to defeat the disease.

Since the Welsh Cancer Trials Network expanded into Gwent last year, more than 130 patients with breast, lung and colo-rectal (bowel) cancer have been recruited into trials.

Almost half have joined up since January, part of a Wales-wide increase in patients willing to take part in groundbreaking studies.

"We got patients involved in six trials last year, but now we have 13 we can feed into, and five research trials are opening up over the summer," said Gail Williams, Gwent clinical trials unit lead nurse.

"We had extra funding last year to set Nevill Hall Hospital up as a centre, in addition to the Royal Gwent, so that has increased the potential number of patients.

"Patients have enjoyed being part of the trials. They do not have to stay in them, but we have found very few have withdrawn.

"Some trials look at different chemotherapies, and can last about six months, but some may last two years, such as the Victor study into bowel cancer."

Much time is spent with patients who agree to take part in a trial to ensure they know exactly what it involves.

"We have to check their suitability, in terms of their condition, and find out how they feel about the prospect," said Mrs Williams.

"Trials are increasingly designed now with patient and carer input, for easier understanding. We must be able to communicate the science in a way that people understand."

The Welsh Cancer Trials Network was set up four years ago to enable more patients to have direct access to trials of new drugs and treatments. It is funded by the Assembly and Cancer Research UK, the UK's leading cancer charity.

UK-wide trials need 1,500-4,000 patients, but until the network was set up, clinical trials were not a common feature in Wales.

One of the main reasons was a lack of funding for research nurses, but that is now available and the network is recruiting some of the 15,000 patients a year in Wales who are diagnosed with cancer.