Sarcoma Awarenesss Month 2025: how your support is helping research into rare cancers

Posted by June Heath on 01 July 2025

It’s Sarcoma Awareness Month this July and we’re standing by the side of all those affected by the condition, taking a look at what is being done to progress treatment and finding out how your support is helping.

Sarcoma is a rare type of cancer that develops in the bones and soft tissue, such as muscle, fat, nerves and blood vessels. Some forms are found in fewer than 20 people a year in the UK, making traditional research a much longer process than in more common conditions. However, thanks to your support, RNOH Charity has been able to help fund some truly groundbreaking research that is making a difference to patients around the word.

What’s the story? In 2003, the Human Genome Project marked a turning point in medicine by publishing the first complete sequence of human DNA. At RNOH, Professor Adrienne Flanagan, OBE and her team recognised early that this would revolutionise cancer diagnosis, especially in rare diseases like sarcoma. With RNOH’s support and the generous participation of the patients treated here, Professor Flanagan’s team began research that would lead to the creation of a world-class biobank and genetic database that today underpin ongoing breakthroughs in sarcoma diagnosis and care.

This remarkable achievement was made possible through pioneering – and painstaking – genomic research, something that is particularly challenging when working with such a rare condition. RNOH Charity was able to help by funding almost £270,000 towards a digital histopathology scanner and a research post for the DNA sequencing of sarcoma, facilitating infrastructure for the team and enabling long-term sample collection.

This support has allowed researchers to act on the promise of genomic science, laying the foundation for discoveries that are already shaping the future of personalised cancer treatment. This year, we’re setting out to do more.