Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help improve access to immunotherapy for brain tumour patients.

The National Cancer Plan will support England to be a world leader on cancer research and innovation. The Department’s actions will support patients in England to get access to the latest breakthroughs in care and treatment. This will aid the health and care system to prevent, detect, and better treat and manage a wider range of cancers contributing to improved survival rates enabling 320,000 lives to be saved by 2035.

Every cancer patient who would benefit from a genomic test, including patients with brain cancer, will receive one in a clinically relevant timeframe, supported by expanded genomic testing capacity through new NHS Genomic Medicine Service Lead Provider contracts from April 2026. This is in addition to increasing the use of whole genome sequencing in routine clinical practice for children with cancer or rare diseases.

Furthermore, Genomic testing will support access to clinical trials, with plans to expand ctDNA and other biomarker testing to a wider range of cancers by 2030, enabling personalised treatment pathways for rare cancers such as brain tumours.

Investment in four new aseptic medicines production hubs, operational by 2027, will expand national capacity for systemic anticancer therapies, including immunotherapies. To support improved outcomes for rare cancer patients, they will benefit from a move to specialist multi-disciplinary teams, that cover multiple providers. This will allow them to benefit from the input of specialist centres and so access to the best evidence care. This will be underpinned by continued engagement with rare cancer charities to ensure patients receive the right support after treatment.

Rare cancers, including brain tumours, are an explicit research and access priority in the National Cancer Plan, supported by National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) investment, such as the £13.7 million NIHR Brain Tumour Research Consortium and measures to accelerate breakthroughs in diagnostics and treatment.