Fears that breast cancer charities are swallowing up an unfair share of research funding are to be tackled with a new national network of cancer research centres. Last week, Professor Karol Sikora argued that breast cancer was in danger of becoming a 'romantic' disease, funded for sentimental reasons, an intervention that has brought a fierce response from charities.

The new centres, part-funded by the Department of Health and part by the charity Cancer Research UK, will attempt to speed up the introduction of new cancer drugs and treatments to the NHS by investigating potential breakthroughs. Crucially, they will target all cancers, including the more rare mouth and stomach cancers. 'It's redressing the balance and putting everything on an equal footing,' said a Department of Health official. The £35 million network will be unveiled this week at a conference organised by the National Cancer Research Institute. Centres will be in existing major hospitals and are planned to be running by April 2007.

Andy Burnham, the health minster, said the new emphasis on experimental medicine should mean faster access for patients to improved treatments.