Cancer

A partnership between Cancer Research UK and Blood Cancer UK has resulted in the UK’s leading biomedical research resource dedicated to storing samples and data of cancers in children and young people. What will this mean for the cancer research community? We spoke to Professor Christina Halsey to find out… The VIVO Biobank provides a

Keith competing in the Red Bull Soapbox Race 2019 at Alexandra Park, London It’s well known that exercise reduces cancer risk by helping people maintain a healthy weight, but can it make any difference for people living with cancer? “Research is showing exercise can be helpful both during and after cancer treatment,” says Martin Ledwick,

Welcome to the fourth post in our Inequalities Series, which discusses health inequalities and how they relate to cancer, from prevention and early diagnosis to treatment and research. In this article, we explore some of the barriers that can make it harder for some people to access cancer screening. We spoke to Dr Laura Marlow,

Today, more than 8 in 10 children and young people in the UK, aged 0 to 24, survive their cancer for 10 years or more. Survival of children and young people has hugely increased over the last 50 years. In fact, progress we’ve made in treating and diagnosing these cancers means that we have avoided

The last couple of weeks has been quite the firestorm for the new Truss administration. When the Prime Minister and the new Government front bench team get past the period of national mourning for the sad passing of the Queen, once-in-a-generation government interventions on the spiralling cost of living and the associated mini-budget, and the

It’s known that people from more deprived backgrounds are more likely to get cancer. New analysis from Cancer Research UK has revealed that ending smoking in England would have the biggest impact on closing the ‘cancer inequality gap’ between the most affluent individuals and the rest of the country. Published today in PLOS ONE, the

The theme for this year’s Peer Review Week is ‘research integrity’ – that really strikes a chord with our new columnists… As we mark peer review week – it’s good to take time to reflect on how pivotal the process is in maintaining the quality of research. This year’s theme, Research Integrity: creating and supporting

I think I got the racks as a Christmas present in 2000. I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma the day after Thanksgiving that year, then started chemotherapy soon after (I think three to four days a week). When I put them together, I didn’t know what to think. Will I not live long enough to

Katie Currie (middle) was put on a trial for mitoxantone after she was diagnosed with relapsed ALL. Children’s cancer mortality has almost halved in the UK in the past 3 decades*. But we’ve made more progress in the treatment of some cancers than others. Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL), the most common type of leukaemia diagnosed

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) does not recommend olaparib (Lynparza) for people with a type of advanced prostate cancer, as the treatment is not deemed cost-effective. This means that people with prostate cancer with a mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene that has spread to another part of the body

NurPhoto In 2012, 65% of all cancer deaths globally occurred in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This estimate is projected to rise to 75% by 2030. With 44% of these deaths being attributed to preventable risk factors, we have a duty as a world-leading cancer organisation to utilise our knowledge of developing and supporting life-saving

A long-term study funded by Cancer Research UK has revealed how air pollution can cause lung cancer in people who have never smoked. Led by Professor Charles Swanton, our chief clinician, scientists at the Francis Crick Institute and University College London (UCL) have found that exposure to air pollution promotes the growth of cells carrying

The Queen has been the charity’s Patron since its formation in 2002. Michelle Mitchell, chief executive at Cancer Research UK expressed her deepest sympathies to the Queen’s family. “I was greatly saddened to hear the news of the death of Her Majesty The Queen. “As our Patron, she kindly supported us over the years, opening

I Didn’t Want to Be Who I Am I’m a hypocrite. My rational self tells me obviously true things about my self-destructive habits. Yet I continue on my road to nowhere health-wise. I came pretty close to dying of cancer. I want to be healthy for as long as possible. But you couldn’t tell that

Our bodies are made from millions of cells, and inside every cell there are chromosomes. Chromosomes are made up of DNA that acts like a genetic code, with all the instructions that tell a cell what to do. Most people have 46 chromosomes in each of their cells, but some people may have more or

For some, a world where cigarettes don’t exist might be difficult to imagine. Less than 30 years ago it would’ve been hard to picture a world free from tobacco advertising, or a pub or workplace free from smoke. Smokefree campaigning, and the government action that produced, turned those seemingly farfetched ambitions into reality. We look

What do microbiologists, astronomers and computer programmers have in common? They’re all working together to advance our knowledge of cancer. Here are five innovations from the world’s greatest minds that could transform the way we deal with the disease  Written by Katherine Latham for Guardian Labs  1. Liquid biopsies to monitor patients’ progress Advances in detection technologies

The current National Cancer Plan in Scotland, ‘Recovery and Redesign: An Action Plan for Cancer Services’ was published in 2020 and looked to build on the progress of the previous cancer strategy while responding to the immediate challenges to cancer care posed by COVID-19. This plan ends next March, so now the Scottish Government have

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an umbrella term mainly used to describe disorders that cause chronic inflammation of your digestive system. Its most often used to refer to two conditions: Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Under normal circumstances, inflammation is a good thing. For example, if you have an infection, inflammation is a sign that

This week, President Biden signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). While the name of this bill doesn’t sound like it has a thing to do with healthcare, there are major provisions in the bill that will greatly change the landscape of healthcare, especially in regards to prescription drug coverage for people with Medicare.

The importance of early detection of cancer is hard to overstate in terms of patient impact – what’s more the science going on in the field is incredibly exciting. We catch up with Dr Alexis Webb and find out about the upcoming Early Detection of Cancer Conference, the importance of collaboration and why these are

We support lifesaving cancer research through the work of over 4,000 scientists, doctors and nurses. But none of what we do would be possible without those who support us. From our huge network of volunteers, including our campaign ambassadors, who drive change on urgent cancer issues by influencing government policy, to those who help raise

CRISPR-Cas9 is a world-renowned genome editing tool, but much of the hype has been focused on direct clinical applications. But there is clear potential for utilising the system in functional genomic screens to develop new cancer medicines. We find out how our partnership with AstraZeneca is making this a reality, and how it could advance

In cancer research, serendipity is a frequent phenomenon. The cervical smear, the origins of radiotherapy as well as various forms of chemotherapy – happened upon and welcomed as some of the world’s greatest scientific discoveries. But oncologist, Dr Hugo De La Peña found that fate intervened well before he reached the lab. Here, the face

The Five Questions with blog series was really a highlight of the last few months for us. We loved talking with members of the healthcare team that don’t get enough attention for the work they do. Healthcare is a big puzzle. Without all the pieces, put together just right, the puzzle just doesn’t work. We

Catching cancer early, before it has the chance to grow and spread, greatly increases the chances of it being successfully treated. For example, more than 9 in 10 diagnosed with bowel cancer at its earliest stage survive their disease for 5 years or more, compared with 1 in 10 when diagnosed at the latest stage.

Welcome to our newest blog series, “Five Questions With…”  In this series, we will highlight the unsung heroes that make healthcare work. From guest services to the phlebotomist, the pet therapy volunteer, and the environmental services workers.  These individuals enhance our experiences when we are getting care and highlight human connection and support. Thank you for all

As the Conservative leadership campaign continues towards its finale it will be interesting to see whether Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss are brave enough to give a realistic account of the challenges facing the NHS, the pressures under which its staff are working and the impact on patient outcomes if problems are not properly addressed.