Twitter Linkedin Facebook Instagram
Get in Touch
icom_donate

Donate Today
icon_get_involved

Get Involved
icon_friend

Friends of

Reducing the risk of facial asymmetry after radiotherapy

In 2020, we kickstarted new research looking into ways to decrease the risk of facial asymmetry in children with cancers in the head and neck. Your donations make this research happen. So, to keep you updated on how your donations are being used, we recently caught up with the project team at The University of Manchester to find out how they’re getting on with the project.

Background

facial asymmetry
Emma was treated for rhabdomyosarcoma in her cheek.

Radiotherapy is a key part of treatment for many children diagnosed with cancer. Radiation successfully destroys cancer cells but can also damage the surrounding healthy tissue. In the UK, over a quarter of childhood cancers require radiation to the brain, face, head or neck. As children’s bones and healthy tissues are still growing, the radiation dose used to destroy the cancer cells can cause side effects such as stunted or slowed growth. Unfortunately, this essential treatment can lead to facial disfigurement and noticeable asymmetry later in life. Such asymmetry may require corrective surgery and is likely to impact a patient’s quality of life and emotional well-being.

Thanks to our supporters, we are funding this pioneering research to develop tools to analyse medical imaging data to better understand the causes of facial asymmetry, so better radiation treatments can be delivered in future.

Since our last update, researcher Dr Abigail Bryce-Atkinson has made great progress on this project and a new team member, Dr Angela Davey, has now joined the team to lead the development of these research methods. Together, they provide an update.

Update from the research team

Abigail: To be able to use image-based data mining (IBDM), we first need to accurately measure the amount of facial asymmetry from a medical image.  To do this, we have produced a descriptive guide for manually measuring facial asymmetry and used this guide to label key anatomical locations in medical images.

Within our research group, a ‘deep-learning’ tool (a type of artificial intelligence) was developed so these locations can be identified automatically by a computer, with the same accuracy expected from expert medical professionals. To measure the amount of asymmetry at these key locations with high efficiency, we are testing computational methods, such as image registration (the process of deforming one image to another) to compare the left and right side of the face numerically. This has a big advantage over other methods as it does not rely on subjective measurements or descriptions of the images.

Angela: I have recently completed my PhD, having worked for the past four years to develop ‘data mining’ tools to identify ways to improve radiotherapy for patients with lung cancer. I am now very much looking forward to applying this knowledge to develop kinder treatments for children undergoing radiotherapy.

With Abigail’s guidance, I have taken the lead on the development of image registration methods and will soon be testing these on medical images collected from patients treated at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust. From here, we will be able to update our existing data mining method to relate the radiotherapy dose patients have received in each location to the amount of asymmetry at that location over time. I have also been working closely with Dr Shermaine Pan, a clinical oncologist at The Christie, to gain understanding on what is required to help clinicians routinely investigate facial asymmetry.

From these discussions, we aim to develop an “atlas” to help clinicians outline the bones in the face, which will be a valuable tool to aid clinical practice. The atlas will be the first step in defining new radiotherapy dose limits for facial bones, which in combination with this project, aims to reduce the risk of asymmetry in future treatments.

Our thanks go to Friends of Rosie and all the supporters for providing vital donations to support this research that will ultimately improve the quality of life of childhood cancer survivors. We look forward to updating you with our progress in 2022!

Angela Davey, Abigail Bryce-Atkinson, Rebecca Holley, and Marianne Aznar

Donate Today
Friends of Rosie

Useful Links

Legal

Contact Us

Helen Griffin
Communications Manager
07887 932293

Children’s Cancer Research Fund,
c/o Slater Heelis,
86 Deansgate,
Manchester M3 2ER

Twitter Linkedin Facebook Instagram Youtube

© 2025 Children’s Cancer Research Fund | Charity No. 1046278 | Website by ATTAIN.

Nancy Dykes

Nancy Dykes

Nancy, 11, was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma when she was just 2 years old. She was treated with Proton Beam Therapy (PBT) in Germany but unfortunately relapsed less than a year later. The family were then sent to Germany for a second round of PBT. Although treatment helped to cure Nancy’s cancer, she has been left with lots of lasting effects which will require ongoing treatment throughout her life. Here Nancy and her mum, Antonia, share their story in the hope it will help others, raise awareness, and raise more money for children’s cancer research.

Watch Story
Prof John Hickman

Prof John Hickman

Why I am a Trustee of CCRF
 
I am a relative of the Larkin family and knew Rosie Larkin ( Friends of Rosie, now CCRF) when she had and then died of neuroblastoma, aged six. At that time, I was a scientist and professor at Manchester University, actively working on the problem of why some cancers do not die despite intensive and toxic therapies.  Seeing Rosie during her unsuccessful therapy and then attending her funeral, besides being emotional, drove me to double down on my own research as well as to support the Charity as best I could as a cancer researcher. I spent over a decade as the Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board of the CCRF, when the Board moulded policies to ensure that funds raised for research into childhood cancers were distributed only to clinicians and researchers who had the brightest ideas that could impact of cancer medicine for children.
 
My role on the Board
 
As a Trustee,  I hope that my many decades of experience in cancer research and medicine can help the CCRF determine where best the funds that are raised can be invested in cutting edge research and medicine. I am also keen that the CCRF brings together UK and international experts in science and cancer medicine to brainstorm on how best to advance the treatment of childhood cancers.
 
My Background
 
I was a Professor of Pharmacology at Manchester University, working on drug resistance in cancer. I then moved to Paris, where I still live, to head cancer drug discovery at a French pharmaceutical company (Servier). I then headed an EU consortium for six years that brought together researchers from the pharmaceutical industry, universities and biotechnology companies, from all over Europe and the UK, to improve cancer drug discovery. I continue to be active in cancer health policy, publishing in the medical literature.
Katrina

Katrina London

Why I am a Trustee of CCRF

I have spent my professional career representing individuals and families affected by the devastating asbestos-related cancer, mesothelioma, which has no cure and for which there are only a limited number of palliative treatments available on the NHS.

I joined CCRF because I wanted to bring my understanding of the need to raise awareness of less well known cancers and passion for the need to secure improved funding for research to children facing a cancer diagnosis.

My role on the Board

I am responsible for oversight of our collaboration agreements with other charities to co-fund research into cures and treatments for childhood cancers. I also manage our challenge events and help with community fundraising. 

My Background

I am a Senior Associate at Irwin Mitchell LLP and specialise in Asbestos Disease Litigation, acting on behalf of victims of asbestos related diseases and their families.  Over the years, I have undertaken a number of fundraising challenges to raise money for cancer research, including a 1000 mile cycle ride from Glasgow to Southampton.   

Carla

Carla Nuttall

Why I’m a Trustee of CCRF
 
I became a trustee of the Children’s Cancer Research Fund because I believe every child deserves the chance to grow up healthy and with everything to look forward to in life. Like many people, I’ve seen the impact cancer can have on families and I wanted to do something that could make a real difference. This started through my work as an ambassador for Cyclists Fighting Cancer, which supported young people and their families in finding strength, confidence, and joy through movement.
 
That experience shaped my understanding of the challenges families face and the importance of community-led support – but crucially, the clear need for that to go hand-in-hand with targeted research and long-term solutions.
 
This is why I’m so passionate about the work CCRF does and proud to contribute to a cause that gives children and their families, the greatest chance of living a life without limits.
 
My Role on the Board
 
I support CCRF’s mission by bringing my experience in brand, marketing, and communications to the board. My focus is on helping CCRF tell its story in a way that resonates with people – whether that’s families, researchers, donors, or the wider public. I work alongside an incredible team to strengthen CCRF’s voice, build trust, and grow awareness so that more children and families can benefit from the breakthroughs we’re helping to fund.
 
My Background
 
I’m the Executive Director of Corporate Affairs and Marketing for The Growth Company, a social enterprise dedicated to helping people, businesses, and places to thrive through its market-leading insight, employment, skills and business support.
My passion is to help the organisations I work with to communicate with clarity, purpose, and integrity. That’s why I’ve spent my career in strategic communications supporting organisations that want to make a positive difference – CCRF could not fit my sense of purpose any better.