An Oxford professor is spearheading a £3.6m world-first clinical trial that could revolutionise the treatment received by bowel cancer patients.

The FOCUS4 trial, partly funded by Stand Up to Cancer, is being led by Professor Timothy Maughan, clinical oncologist and clinical director of the CRUK, MRC Oxford Institute for Radiation Oncology.

The trial, the first of its size and design ever to run in the UK, is testing treatments targeted to specific genetic mistakes present in the tumours of advanced bowel cancer patients.

Prof Maughan said: “Using this new trial design is a complete paradigm shift in the way we are thinking about treating advanced bowel cancer.

“FOCUS4 is a completely new approach to cancer clinical trials. Rather than focusing on one drug we’re looking at different drugs to find the best treatment(s) for each patient based on the characteristics of their cancer. It’s personalised medicine in action.”

Cancer Research UK spokeswoman for Oxfordshire Jenny Makin said: “Every day around 130 people are diagnosed with cancer in the south east.

“By joining stand up to cancer supporters in Oxfordshire will be uniting with doctors, nurses, scientists and celebrities to generate funds, raise awareness and help accelerate progress in life-saving cancer research.

“The time to act is now. We’re on the brink of a revolution in cancer research – thanks to new treatments, screening and earlier diagnosis, more people are surviving the disease than ever before.

“But we can’t afford to stand still. Research is our most powerful weapon against this terrible disease.”