Scientists in Oxford have been commended for playing a major role in the fight against cancer, which has led to a big fall in deaths from the disease.

Cancer Research UK announced national mortality rates from cancer have fallen by 12 per cent in 30 years, while Oxfordshire has seen a nine per cent drop in just 10 years.

The good news is largely due to advances in cancer research -- much of which is done in Oxford. The city is the charity's largest centre outside London.

Dr Trivadi Ganesan, a cancer specialist at the Churchill Hospital and senior investigator at the John Radcliffe Hospital, said CRUK was the sole funder for clinical and laboratory-based work at both sites. He said scientists at the Radcliffe Infirmary investigating the causes of cancer had also "contributed an amazing amount" to the research.

He said: "Oxford is involved not only from a prevention point of view, but understanding the causes of cancer and, in the larger sense, how cancer develops.

"City scientists deserve a lot of credit for their part in the mortality rate reduction."

According to CRUK, the national mortality rates for individual types of cancer have fallen even more dramatically.

Deaths from breast cancer, which affects about 440 people in Oxfordshire every year, have dropped by one fifth, and those from testicular cancer, which affects 26 county men every year, has fallen by 37 per cent. The mortality rate for bowel cancer, which is diagnosed in about 300 people in Oxfordshire every year, has gone down by 35 per cent, and Hodgkin's disease, affecting about 15 county residents annually, is down 74 per cent.

CRUK announced the figures as part of its All Clear Campaign, to highlight how many patients are surviving cancer. They want to emphasise how important their research still is, to make sure even more can be done to bring cancer under control.

Professor Michel Coleman, head of epidemiology and vital statistics at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: "All of these falls in death rates are very encouraging. Progress is being made.

"But there are still, on average, more than 400 people dying from cancer every day in the UK. The rate of cancer deaths may be falling, but the number of people being diagnosed with cancer is increasing.

"The funding of research needs to continue and accelerate so that more people survive the disease in the next generation."

The charity is urging people to donate £2 a month to help them with their work.