LONDON, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- A new international research alliance will develop radical new strategies and technologies to detect cancer at its earliest stage, according to a statement jointly released on Monday by Cancer Research UK and its partners.

A patient's chance of surviving their disease improves dramatically when cancer is found and treated earlier.

The International Alliance for Cancer Early Detection (ACED) will seek to make progress in early detection technologies in this field.

The ACED is a partnership between Cancer Research UK, Canary Center at Stanford University, the University of Cambridge, the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, University College London and the University of Manchester.

Scientists in the alliance will work together to push forward scientific development in potential areas of research including: developing new improved imaging techniques and robotics to detect early tumors and pre-cancerous lesions, increasing understanding of how the environment surrounding a tumor influences cancer development, developing less invasive and simpler detection techniques such as blood, breath and urine tests, which can monitor patients who are at a higher risk of certain cancers, etc.

Real progress in early detection cannot be achieved by a single organization, benefits for patients "will only be realized if early cancer detection leaders from around the world come together," said Michelle Mitchell, Cancer Research UK's chief executive, in the statement.