Cancer

Speed and precision are essential factors in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Melanoma patients benefit from many therapeutic options, but too much choice isn’t always a good thing. This means selecting the best course from a variety of therapies can be slow and difficult. Lucky for us, new medical tech in the form of microneedles may

In August 2022, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) into law. This law enacted changes to Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage. One part of this was the ability of Medicare to negotiate the prices of some medications. It is estimated that drug negotiation will save Medicare over 98 billion dollars in its

NHS England are also combining some other targets together to reduce the overall number of standards, including making more patients eligible for the headline 62-day standard by combining three previously separate targets.  The data and the detail  While we support the streamlining of cancer waiting times targets, we also want to ensure that this translates

Some useful links: Cancer Research Horizons is CRUK’s innovation engine built to complement it’s network of researchers. They take innovations from the lab bench to the bedside, translating them into effective treatments and diagnostics for cancer patients. The report from Deloitte showing the cost of developing new drugs – an expense that now exceeds $2

The fact a species’ cancer risk doesn’t increase with its size is called Peto’s paradox, after Professor Sir Richard Peto, one of our researchers, who first laid it out in the 1970s.  If we can solve the paradox – and learn how the world’s biggest animals avoid cancer – we‘ll have a much better idea

There’s an online version of a document written in 1989 by Sir Tim Berners-Lee when he was trying to help researchers at the physics institute CERN keep track of their data while dealing with high researcher turnover. In it, the authors state: “When two years is a typical length of stay, information is constantly being

Bacteria, they’re just like us, eh? Well not really, but one of the features we do share, is that viruses love to hijack our cellular machinery. Bacterial viruses are big trouble for their bacterial hosts, but  scientists are taking advantage of their ability to target specific cell types to develop new tools for cancer diagnosis

The role of the caregiver is multi-faceted as they provide family members, friends and partners with the physical care and emotional support needed during treatments and beyond. This role is critical as they are often the patient’s lifeline, and they act as an advocate for the patient with the medical staff providing the treatments. Yet,

Tackling inequalities in healthcare is something that I’ve always been passionate about.   I am, and always have been a proud Yorkshireman – I grew up in Barnsley and most of my family still live there. But my upbringing there made me very much aware of the impact that socioeconomic deprivation can have on the health

Myth #9: Sunscreen lasts forever Many of us will find an old bottle of sunscreen at the back of the cupboard and think “I have no idea when I opened that”. But most sunscreens expire. Look out for a small open jar icon on the bottle with the number of months the product can be

It’s no secret that obesity poses a risk to health and well-being. Although diet and activity can help facilitate weight loss, some individuals turn to surgery, also known as bariatric surgery.  A new study published in JAMA highlights the potential benefits of opting for bariatric surgery versus natural weight loss.1 Obesity is associated with higher

A diverse research community which represents the breadth of our population is vital if we want to be confident we have the best talent addressing the full range of questions in cancer research, the answers to which will lead to the best outcomes for everyone. But right now, the cancer research sector doesn’t represent the

On 26 June, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Steve Barclay, announced the rollout of a new targeted lung cancer screening programme in England.   The announcement follows the UK National Screening Committee’s (UK NSC) September 2022 recommendation that all UK nations move towards implementing lung cancer screening with an integrated smoking cessation

Some useful links: “The number of science and technology research papers published has skyrocketed over the past few decades — but the ‘disruptiveness’ of those papers has dropped, according to an analysis of how radically papers depart from the previous literature”The Nature paper on ‘disruption in science’. “Grants, for example, often err on the side

What is screening? Cancer screening is a test that looks for early signs of cancer in people without symptoms. It is not the same as the tests a person may have when doctors are diagnosing or treating cancer.   There are three screening programmes in the UK, bowel, breast and cervical. The eligibility criteria for each

And what about cancer research – why did you choose to pursue a career in this field? Cancer is a devastating disease that affects millions of people worldwide, impacting not only the individuals themselves but also their families and the society as a whole. Despite recent advancements in cancer research, significant challenges and unmet clinical

To be told that you or someone you love has cancer is dreadful news. Today, one in every two people in this country can expect to be told they have cancer at some point in their lives. For some, that means a terminal diagnosis. But we can look forward to a time when cancer, with

In my own family, whenever someone is asked, “How are you doing?”, the conversation ends up about our health. And with health, the first questions brought up are about any stomach pains or bloating or even how frequently they use the bathroom. It seems silly, but when I started thinking more about why, I came

Blood cancer is the UK’s fifth most common cancer, with about 250,000 people living with a type of blood cancer in the UK.   However, many people are diagnosed late, and emergency presentation is a common route to diagnosis. Researchers suggest this may be due to a lack of awareness of blood cancer symptoms, which are

It’s important to remember that the classification system rates how strong the evidence is (or how confident they are), not how dangerous something is. That is why smoking cigarettes and eating processed meat are in the same category, not because they are equally dangerous but because IARC are equally confident they are linked to cancer.

At a similar time, endogenous copies of murine leukaemia virus (MLV) were discovered in laboratory mice by two independent laboratories and of avian leukosis virus (ALV) in domestic fowl by Robin Weiss in London. The association of endogenous retroviruses with cancer was becoming ever clearer and the discovery of oncogenic retroviruses in mice led to

 A better understanding This three-year project will use existing data from large national studies and the National Cancer Registry Service in England to look at breast cancer incidence rates and how breast cancer risk factors such as weight, alcohol intake and reproductive factors, may differ in different ethnic groups.  This builds on Gathani’s previous research

Protecting your skin “Whether you’re holidaying abroad or enjoying the good weather closer to home, it’s important to take steps to reduce your risk of skin cancer, especially if you burn easily,” says Dr Julie Sharp, Head of health and patient information at Cancer Research UK.   Anyone can develop skin cancer and getting sunburnt just

Photo by Sandro Tavares @ Pexels. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease and cancer are men’s leading causes of death.1 Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men worldwide, with more than 1.4 million new cases reported in 2020 alone.2  This alarming data is why there is the

Photo by National Cancer Institute @Unsplash Leukemia is a form of cancer with an annual diagnosis rate of 14.1 people per 100,000 of the population, with nearly half of these cases (6.0 per 100,000) dying from the disease. People over 55 and under 15 are the population group in which this condition is most common.1

Image by Wolfgang Eckert @Pixabay There may be a connection between fungus and cancer. New research identifies the presence of fungus in cancer, often inside the cell. In addition, the researchers provide evidence for new diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for cancer.  Bacteria, fungi, and cancer Studies on bacterial communities internal to tumors exist. However, fungi

Photo by Christine Sponchia @Pixabay Scientists have recently observed that retinoids, a chemical compound found in vitamin A, can help people experiencing acute pancreatitis as an adverse drug effect of asparaginase.  A diet rich in vitamin A may be a solution to combat the life-threatening complications of acute pancreatitis from the drug asparaginase. Asparaginase is

The future of the NHS  The NHS has spent 75 years looking after us. It deserves a huge celebration. Then, for the next 75 years and beyond, it deserves looking after, too.  That means money, and, where appropriate, reform.   The UK’s population is getting older and cancer rates are rising, which means more of