News

NHS checks for bowel cancer hit record-high thanks to Dame Deborah

Record numbers of people have come forward for bowel cancer checks thanks to lifesaving awareness raising by Dame Deborah James, the NHS said today. Between the months of May and July, referrals for suspected lower gastro-intestinal cancers reached record levels, with over 170,500 people referred for checks during that period – up over 30,000 compared […]

Read more

NHS launches awareness campaign for England’s most deadly cancer

The NHS is encouraging people with symptoms such as a long-standing persistent cough, to visit their GP for potentially lifesaving checks in its latest campaign to catch lung cancer earlier when it is easier to treat. The launch of the latest Help Us Help You campaign, on World Lung Cancer Day, comes after figures suggest that […]

Read more

Army of volunteers join NHS trial to spot deadly cancers

Over 140,000 people have flocked to take part in the world’s largest trial of a blood test that can detect more than 50 types of cancer, as part of the latest NHS drive to catch the disease when it is generally easiest to treat. NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard announced the latest milestone in NHS […]

Read more

Thousands of patients to benefit as NHS marks 100th fast-tracked cancer drug

Thousands of people a year with advanced breast cancer will benefit from a life-extending drug that has been fast-tracked onto the frontline of NHS patient care. The drug, alpelisib, will be used in combination with the hormone therapy, fulvestrant, to target the gene that causes fast-growing tumours. Up to 3,000 people a year with a […]

Read more

World’s first chemo drone delivery announced on NHS birthday

NHS cancer patients will be the first in the world to benefit from chemotherapy delivered by drone as part of a new trial, NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard announced today. The drones, set to make their first flight in the coming weeks, will mean that the lifesaving treatment can be picked up and dropped to […]

Read more

Dame Deborah James helps more people check signs of cancer

Thousands more people checked bowel cancer symptoms online this week thanks to Dame Deborah James, NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard revealed today. Latest figures show there was a tenfold increase- from 2,000 to 23,274 -in visits to the NHS webpages for bowel cancer, on Wednesday this week compared to the day before. NHS chief executive […]

Read more

High street pharmacies spot cancers in new NHS early diagnosis drive

Staff in high street pharmacies will be funded to spot signs of cancer as part of a new drive to catch tumours early when they are easier to treat, NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard announced today. Customers will then be sent for scans and other checks under the initiative, which is being trialled by pharmacies […]

Read more

One million checks delivered by NHS ‘one stop shops’

NHS ‘one stop shops’ have delivered over one million checks and tests since the rollout began, as the biggest catch up programme in health history gathers pace. Over 90 community diagnostic centres (CDCs) are already freeing up hospital capacity by offering MRI, CT and other services closer to patients’ homes, often in the heart of […]

Read more