NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard today (March 1) announced a new campaign to promote early detection of cancer, when it is easier to treat.
The campaign, which would run across TV, radio, and social media from Wednesday (March 2), is the first to focus on tackling the fear of cancer rather thanspecific symptoms.
It is in line with the NHS Long Term Plan's commitment to increase cancer detection at an early stage by 2028.
As per the NHS figures, the number of people getting checked for cancer increased by over half a million between December 2020 and December 2021.
Speaking ahead of the launch, Pritchard, said: "We know that the prospect of a cancer diagnosis can be daunting for people and that is exactly why we are launching this potentially lifesaving campaign - we want to allay people's fear about cancer and encourage them to get checked without delay.
Statistics show that 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer at some point in their lives. While this disease can be deadly, it is also preventable. This
blog post will discuss six things you need to know about breast cancer prevention. Knowledge is power when it comes to fighting cancer, so read on and learn how
you can protect yourself.
UNDERGO ROUTINE CHECKUPS
One of the first things you can do to prevent breast cancer is to undergo routine checkups. This means going for mammograms and clinical breast exams regularly. In
this case, your doctor may even recommend using ultrasound technology to get a clear picture of the breast tissue. Rest assured that your doctor will be able to
detect any changes in your breasts and will be able to determine if there is anything to worry about. The earlier you catch any abnormalities, the better your chances
of beating cancer.
BE AWARE OF YOUR FAMILY HISTORY
Another important factor to consider is your family history. If you have close relatives who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, your risk may be higher. This is
because some forms of breast cancer can be hereditary. As such, it is important to be aware of your family history and to let your doctor know if there is a history
of breast cancer in your family. From there, you should discuss your options with your doctor and make sure to get regular screenings. More often than not, early
detection is key when it comes to surviving breast cancer which is why family history is so important.
On World Head and Neck Cancer Day today (27 July), the National Health Service (NHS) has launched a new partnership with the British supermarket chain, Asda
to raise awareness of mouth cancer symptoms.
As part of this partnership, the NHS will provide vital advice on millions of toothpaste tubes and mouthwash bottles, urging people to consult their GP or dentist
if they notice any potential symptoms of mouth cancer.
Starting this month, the grocer's own brand of oral hygiene products will feature NHS advice in over 500 Asda stores nationwide.
The NHS guidance will be displayed on the packaging, along with a link to more detailed information about mouth and throat cancer on the health service website.
Professor Peter Johnson, national clinical director for cancer at NHS England, said: "Early detection of mouth cancer can help save lives and this fantastic new
partnership with Asda will be vital in raising awareness of the signs and in supporting the NHS's ambition to diagnose more cancers at an earlier stage.
The government has joined hands with Prostate Cancer UK to launch a massive screening trial in the country next year.
Called TRANSFORM, the trial will use innovative screening methods like an MRI scan to detect prostate cancer, which is the most common cancer in men in the UK.
The trail is scheduled for launch in Spring 2024, and recruitment is likely to begin in Autumn 2024.
For the £42 million trial, the government will invest £16 million through the National Institute of Health Research, and £26m will be provided by Prostate Cancer UK.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) believes that thousands of men's lives could be saved each year if prostate cancer is detected early with
effective screening methods.
The NHS England is rapidly expanding the targeted lung health check programme (TLHC) across England to detect lung cancers at an early stage.
Launched in 2019, it is a national scheme that identifies people aged 55-74 at increased risk of lung cancer to invite them for a lung health check and chest
CT scan, if appropriate.
Since then, it has heled detect over 3,000 lung cancers, mostly at an early stage when the condition is more treatable, Dr Jason Page, Clinical Director of South
Yorkshire and Bassetlaw targeted lung health checks, revealed in a blog on the NHS website.
The decision to initiate the programme follows a study that showed CT screening reduced lung cancer mortality by 26 per cent in men and between 39 per cent and
61 per cent in women.
Community pharmacies in England could soon be allowed to make cancer referrals to hospitals under new plans to improve early detection of the disease.
An NHS pilot scheme, which starts later this year as a pilot in an undisclosed number of places of England, will see community pharmacy staff spotting signs of
cancer in people who might not have noticed symptoms.
Pharmacy teams will be trained to spot red flags, such as patients with symptoms such as a cough that lasts for three weeks or more, difficulty swallowing or blood
in their urine, and send them for scans and checks without needing to see a GP if they think it could be cancer.
Amanda Pritchard, the NHS chief executive, will unveil the plans at the NHS Confed Expo conference in Liverpool on Wednesday (June 15), and say: "These plans have
the power to truly transform the way we find and treat cancer, and ultimately spare thousands of patients and their families from avoidable pain and loss."
The plans include new "roaming liver trucks" - which will be parked near GP surgeries, in town centres and food banks - to encourage people most at risk of getting liver cancer to get "on the spot scans" for diagnosis.
The NHS is going to roll out a revolutionary 30-minute treatment for advanced womb cancer for women across England.
The drug, called Dostarlimab, would benefit around 100 women with advanced and often incurable endometrial cancer every year after the NHS agreed early access to the treatment through the Cancer Drugs Fund.
It works by attaching to a specific protein on the surface of the cancer cells, helping the immune system to detect and attack it.
The treatment takes just 30 minutes to administer through the blood stream every three weeks over a 12-week period.
The move is in line with the NHS Long Term Plan which aims to provide the latest cutting-edge treatments and therapies for patients.
Within 24 hours of the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton's, cancer diagnosis, National Health Service (NHS) England saw a 373% spike in visits to its
cancer page, highlighting the growing focus on cancer awareness.
Similarly, charities like Macmillan Cancer Support charity experienced increased traffic, with nearly 100,000 visits to their support pages since the announcement.
Traffic to the NHS website's cancer symptoms page surged significantly, recording a remarkable 4,172 visits within three hours of the release of the Princess's
video message.
This sudden increase translated to an average of one visit every three seconds, a substantial rise from the 1,922 visits recorded during the same timeframe a week
earlier.
Notably, visits to the symptoms page peaked immediately after the announcement, with 1,678 visits recorded between 6 pm and 7 pm on the day of the announcement.
The latest findings from the National Cancer Patient Experience Survey 2022 by QualityWatch, a joint programme with the Nuffield Trust and the Health
Foundation shed light on concerning disparities faced by ethnic minority communities in the UK healthcare system.
Despite strides in cancer care, the survey highlights persistent challenges in easy and equitable access to timely diagnosis and quality communication,
particularly for individuals from Mixed, Black, or Asian backgrounds.
Key insights from the survey underscored that individuals from ethnic minority groups often require a higher number of interactions with healthcare professionals
before receiving a cancer diagnosis.
Notably, one in three people from Mixed, Black, or Asian ethnicities needed three or more visits to a GP practice, compared to the average of one in five across
the population.
These delays in diagnosis can have significant implications for treatment outcomes and overall patient experience.
Moreover, the survey revealed concerning trends regarding the quality of communication following a cancer diagnosis among ethnic minority patients.
Regular health screenings are an essential part of maintaining wellness, and one vital test for women is the Pap smear. Known for its role in early
detection of cervical cancer, the Pap smear is a simple yet powerful tool that can potentially save lives. In this blog, we will explore the significance of Pap
smears, what the procedure involves, and how often you should get tested.
The Importance of Regular Local Screenings
Staying on top of your health requires vigilance, and regular local screenings play an indispensable role in this effort. Local screenings, like Pap smears, are
essential in detecting potential health issues at their earliest stages, making treatments more effective and improving outcomes.
By participating in these routine checks, you not only safeguard your health but also contribute to broader public health efforts by identifying and addressing
potential outbreaks or health trends within the community. Whether that's HPV and Pap tests in Singapore or a mammogram in the US, local screenings are crucial
for maintaining overall wellness. This is especially true for Pap smears, as they play a significant role in detecting and preventing cervical cancer.
NHS England is set to roll out a new test this week that will help doctors to spot a rare form of eye cancer in babies in the womb.
The NHS test developed at Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust, identifies the risk of developing retinoblastoma in babies that can be monitored
and treated sooner - increasing the chance of saving their eyesight and potentially their lives.
The new non-invasive test can detect changes in the genes in DNA and is likely to identify around 50 infants with retinoblastoma each year, in the latest example
of the NHS harnessing the power of genomics to diagnose and treat patients faster and more effectively.
Non-Invasive Prenatal Diagnosis (NIPD) also means parents can be informed early in pregnancy if their child is at risk.
"The blood sample test is taken from the mother before birth and tested and analysed for mutations, which can determine with almost 100 per cent accuracy if the baby will develop retinoblastoma," the NHS said.
Research and development (R&D) in liquid biopsy is increasingly being funded by both public and private sectors due to its promising features such as early detection of cancer tumour, new lesion characterisation and identification of cancer drug target.