Earlier this week, Martin met with representatives from The Campaign for Owain’s Law to discuss their campaign for a vital change in how cancer patient samples are stored across the NHS.
Currently, when a patient has a tumor removed or biopsied, the tissue is often preserved in a way that makes it unsuitable for advanced genomic testing or certain life-extending treatments. By "flash freezing" this tissue by default, the NHS can ensure that every patient has the opportunity to benefit from:
Advanced Diagnostics: More precise identification of cancer types.
Cutting-Edge Research: Providing the samples needed for future breakthroughs.
Next-Generation Treatments: Access to personalized medicines that require frozen samples to work.
At present, there is no national guidance, meaning the decision to freeze tissue is left to individual NHS Trusts. This results in a system where a patient’s future treatment options may be limited simply by which hospital they attend.
Speaking after the event, Martin said: "Owain’s story is a powerful reminder that we must keep pace with medical technology. It is wrong that a patient might be denied a life-extending treatment simply because their tissue wasn't stored correctly. I am committed to working to ensure that residents have every tool available to them in their fight against cancer."
