A charity dedicated towards preventing cancer has donated £150,000 towards cancer detecting equipment at Oxford University Hospitals.

The Oxford Colon Trust, also known as Occtopus, undertakes research and preventive work on colon cancer and inflammatory bowel disease.

The £150,000 investment initiative has been spearheaded by David James, consultant colorectal surgeon at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, and he said the aim was to “identify and treat precancerous cells before they progress to anal cancer”.

In the UK, there are 1,500 new anal cancer cases each year and the number of new cases is projected to rise from around 1,900 cases between 2023 and 2025 to around 2,400 cases between 2038 and 2040.

Mr James said: “By establishing a specialised service for the detection of precancerous cells around the bottom, we can proactively intervene and prevent the development of anal cancer. “This service will not only save lives but also provide patients with a greater quality of life and peace of mind with a more streamlined patient experience.”

The investment will enable the creation of state of the art facilities at Oxford University Hospitals, with the money going towards highly technical laser equipment, specialised microscopes known as colposcopes and examination couches.

Professor Neil Mortensen, chair at Occtopus said: “We are thrilled to support this groundbreaking project led by David James and the dedicated team at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust.

"Our donation underscores our commitment to advancing research, prevention, and patient care in the fight against colon cancer.”