Cancer, it's personal
For many people living with cancer, there is a standard treatment pathway.
It’s followed carefully. And often, it works – until it doesn’t anymore.
When standard options are exhausted or known not to be very effective for a particular type of cancer, understanding what the options are becomes deeply personal.
RareCan exists to help people make sense of that moment – clearly, respectfully, and without pressure.
understanding shouldn’t
Reaching the end of standard treatment options can feel abrupt.
Questions that once had answers suddenly don’t:
- What else might exist?
- Is there anything I haven’t been told?
- What should I be asking now?
“Cancer treatment built around you” doesn’t mean guarantees or shortcuts. It means starting with your situation, your questions, and your timing.
When cancer is rare, people become navigators.
- Learning more, faster than expected
- Interpreting complex information
- Taking an active role in conversations about care
How can RareCan help?
“I have completed all the standard of care options, what do I do now?”
This is one of the most difficult moments people describe.
Standard treatments have been tried. Options that were once clear are no longer available.
And the responsibility to explore what else might exist often shifts quietly to the individual.
RareCan supports people at this point by helping them:
- Look more deeply at the biology of their tumour
- Understand whether there are features that may be relevant beyond standard care
- See what clinical trials or other treatment options may be accessible in the UK
Not as a promise of what will happen – but as a way of understanding what options still exist.
"I want information that actually makes sense to me"
Medical terminology, genomic reports, clinical trial databases and treatment options can be difficult to interpret, even for people who are used to reading scientific information.
Many people tell us they aren’t looking for more data. They want clearer explanations of what information means for them.
RareCan supports people to understand things from their perspective, including:
- Clinical pathways and standard of care treatment options
- Clinical trials and when they might be an option
- Cancer genomic and clinical trial criteria
“I want to understand my cancer properly - from the beginning”
Some people prefer to build a deeper understanding of their cancer early in their journey, not only when options become limited. Sometimes this might help inform early treatment options, but often it is about being prepared for what might come next.
RareCan can help you understand your cancer and options by:
- Undertaking detailed genomic analysis of your tumour
- Interpreting and summarising genomic reports you already have
- Producing personalised reports on UK clinical trials, that we’ll update as your situation changes
A more personal way of understanding cancer
RareCan combines tumour genomic analysis with careful interpretation – but the focus is always on the person, not just the data.
- A broader view of tumour biology
- Clear explanations written for people, not specialists
- UK-focused clinical trial context
- Transparency about uncertainty and limits
This is not about promises. It’s about perspective.
RareCan may be helpful if:
You are living with a rare or less common cancer
Standard treatment options are no longer working –
or you want to plan aheadYou want information that feels relevant to you
You value clarity and personalised support
It won’t be right for everyone – and that’s okay.
RareCan has over 3,000 members, here’s what some of them say.
The voices and experiences from our RareCan members, shared to help others on their own cancer journey.
“I joined RareCan to support research into my extremely rare and highly aggressive subtype of uterine cancer.”
— Lindy
RareCan Member
“I joined RareCan to get action and support and research on rare cancers”
— Steve
RareCan Member
“I joined RareCan because they have the solution to the challenges faced within rare cancer research.”
— Dave
RareCan Member
“I joined RareCan as it may help other people in the future.”
— Wayne
RareCan Member
“If my husband was alive today, he would encourage people to take part in research as you never know if you will ever need it in the future.”
— Wendy
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Whether you’re looking for clinical trials, exploring cancer research studies, or simply wanting to understand your cancer diagnosis or treatment options better, these RareCan resources are here to guide you during your cancer treatment journey.
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