EFFORTS to fight an aggressive form of cancer were given a shot in the arm this week after Oxford researchers were awarded more than £140,000 to help detect the disease.

Two research projects at Oxford University were given the cash boost on Monday by Pancreatic Cancer UK to help in the early detection of pancreatic cancer.

Dr Bart Cornelissen was awarded more than £74,000 to create a new imaging agent that can pick up a protein called p53 found in around three quarters of sufferers, using a PET scanner.

rofessor Zhengming Chen and Dr Michael Holmes will use the remaining funding to develop a blood test which would also be used to detect the cancer early.

Dr Cornelissen said: “We’re very pleased our research has been chosen for funding and that we’ll be able to continue our work developing a possible new imaging agent to detect the p53 protein.”

Professor Chen said: “Current treatment options for pancreatic cancer are limited, and most patients diagnosed with the disease have a poor prognosis.

"This is an extremely promising area of investigation and if we’re successful could lead to new options to improve outcomes for people with pancreatic cancer."

More than 100 people die from pancreatic cancer in Oxfordshire on average per year, with more than 8,800 dying across the UK.

The grants have been awarded as part of Pancreatic Cancer UK’s fourth annual Research Innovation Fund (RIF) grants scheme.

This year the charity has awarded more than £500,000 to seven pancreatic cancer researchers based in institutions throughout the UK.