In this episode, we explore the rise of cancer misinformation and why false claims about “miracle cures” spread so quickly on social media. 

From viral myths like “sugar feeds cancer” to extreme diets, supplements and unproven treatments, how can you tell what’s real, and what could cause harm? 

We’re joined by breast surgeon, author and content creator Dr Liz O'Riordan to break down the science and explain how misinformation can impact decisions, treatment and lives. 

What you’ll learn in this episode: 

• Why cancer misinformation spreads so easily online 
• The truth about sugar and cancer 
• The risks of extreme diets like juicing and alkaline diets 
• The reality behind claims about ivermectin and fenbendazole 
• Why testimonials can feel more convincing than science 
• The real dangers of choosing alternative treatments  
• How to spot misinformation online 

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated with new episodes!  

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For more information about cancer myths and misinformation, you can check out these pages: 

https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/cancer-myths-questions 

https://news.cancerresearchuk.org/2024/02/16/sorting-fact-from-fiction-a-guide-to-spotting-health-misinformation/? 

https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/cancer-myths-questions/how-does-cancer-research-uk-evaluate-research  

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From elephants and naked mole rats to innovative vaccines and the gut microbiome, this episode uncovers the fascinating science shaping a new era of prevention. 

Don't forget to like, subscribe and hit that notification bell to hear about new episodes!

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In this episode, you'll learn:

• What precision prevention actually means and how researchers are looking for cancer’s earliest biological warning signs 
• How animals resist cancer, including the secrets of elephants, bowhead whales, naked mole rats and other species with remarkable natural protection.  
• The mystery of human “super avoiders”, and the team mapping the antibodies that may help protect some people from developing cancer.  
• The rise of cancer vaccines for people at higher risk, including projects like LungVax and OvarianVax. 
• The role of the microbiome, and how trillions of microbes in our gut may influence cancer risk as we age. 

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We’re joined by Dr Roselyn Campbell, bioarchaeologist and Egyptologist at Purdue University. She explains how scientists identify tumours in archaeological remains and what living with cancer might have been like in ancient societies. 

What you’ll learn in this episode: 

• How cancer first emerged in early multicellular life  
• What ancient animal fossils reveal about the history of cancer 
• How past civilisations like Ancient Egypt understood, described, and attempted to treat cancer 
• The key discoveries that unlocked cancer’s biology 
• The major treatment milestones – from surgery to radiation to chemotherapy 
• How imaging technologies revolutionised diagnosis 
• How genomics and targeted therapies reshaped modern cancer care 

For more cancer stories visit Cancer News!

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In this episode, we’re exploring liquid biopsies, cutting-edge blood tests that can pick up the smallest signs of cancer swirling through the blood. We sit down with Professor Nitzan Rosenfeld, Director of Barts Cancer Institute and a pioneer in the field. 

Professor Rosenfeld explains how fragments of tumour DNA enter our blood from cancer cells, what they can tell us about cancer, and how liquid biopsies can use blood samples to transform early detection, screening and treatment.   

Don't forget to like, subscribe and hit that notification bell to hear about new episodes!

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In this episode, you’ll learn: 

• The ways tiny molecular hints about our health can end up in our blood 
• How circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) in the blood can help us detect and understand tumours in other parts of the body, giving a fuller picture than traditional biopsies and scans 
• The different types of liquid biopsies that can be used to diagnose cancer, guide personalised treatment, check if any traces of cancer remain after therapy (called MRD, or minimal residual disease) and track changes as tumours evolve 
• What the NHS GALLERI trial, which uses a single blood test to screen more than 50 cancer types in people without symptoms, could mean for early cancer detection 
• What our blood might reveal about our future health, and how that might change the way we think

Professor Nitzan Rosenfeld is the Director of Barts Cancer Institute at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), which is a key part of the Cancer Research UK City of London Centre. He’s also Professor of Applied Cancer Research at QMUL and the head of a lab that develops liquid biopsies for detecting and monitoring cancer.

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If you enjoyed today’s episode and want to find out more, you can check out our liquid biopsies articles on the Cancer News site: https://news.cancerresearchuk.org/topic/liquid-biopsies/  

We also have an immersive guide to the array of cancer clues that tests can find floating in blood: https://news.cancerresearchuk.org/shorthand_story/what-are-liquid-biopsies/  

You can read more about the NHS-Galleri trial on the NHS website: https://www.nhs-galleri.org/

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Drugs like Mounjaro and Wegovy are helping millions of people across the UK lose weight faster and more effectively. That’s important for us, because obesity is one of the leading preventable causes of cancer. So, with obesity and cancer on the rise around the world, could weight loss drugs be a way for us to tackle them both together? 

To help break down the science of weight loss injections and how they work, we’re joined by Dr Rachel Orritt, one of our health information managers at Cancer Research UK. We also speak to Dr Matthew Harris, a surgeon and Cancer Research UK Clinical Research Fellow, about how he and his fellow researchers are working to answer the long list of questions we still have about weight loss drugs and cancer. 

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Discussed on today’s episode: 

Weight loss drugs and cancer: what we know so far

PADRAIC project 

Causes of cancer and reducing your risk 

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Artificial Intelligence is no longer science fiction. It's here and it's becoming part of our everyday lives. But what happens when AI steps into the world of healthcare? Could it actually help us beat cancer? 

In this episode we’re joined by Lara Lewington, a technology journalist and author of the bestselling book, Hacking Humanity: How technology can save your health and your life. Lara explains how AI is shaping the healthcare of tomorrow and how it could change the way we prevent, diagnose and treat cancer. 

We’re also joined by Professor Peter Coveney, from University College London. He discusses his work on digital twins - a virtual version of you that could help make real-life healthcare smarter and safer.  

We discuss the risks and benefits of AI and ask one of the biggest questions: could AI ever replace doctors? 

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Discussed on today's episode: 

AI could improve cancer diagnosis – if we get these 5 things right 

Digital twins and Big AI: the future of truly individualised healthcare 

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For more cancer stories, visit Cancer News 

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We kick off the first episode of the new series discussing the power of exercise. We all know exercise is good for our health. It can make a huge difference to our overall wellbeing and recovery, but could it go even further? Could it help us survive cancer?   

In this episode we’re first joined by Kara Miller, a former professional netball player who was diagnosed with bowel cancer back in 2022. She reflects on her athletic career and how it helped her not only through cancer treatment but also inspired her to become a cancer rehabilitation personal trainer. 

We also hear from Professor Vicky Coyle, a researcher at Queen’s University Belfast who led the UK arm of the CHALLENGE trial, investigating whether exercise could help people survive bowel cancer. She shares the incredible results of her research and what this could mean for the future of cancer treatment and care. 

If you enjoyed the episode, don’t forget to subscribe and watch it all on our YouTube channel!   

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Discussed on today's episode:

Exercise can help more people survive colon cancer 

What are the benefits of exercise? 

CHALLENGE trial paper 

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For more cancer stories, visit Cancer News

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For our series finale, Sophie is joined by royal correspondent and best-selling author, Katie Nicholl. 

Katie has spent over 20 years writing about the British royal family, from A-levels to coronations, Katie has reported it all. But when King Charles III and Princess Catherine both announced their cancer diagnoses, their stories hit very close to home, as only a few months earlier Katie finished her own treatment for liver cancer.

On this episode, Katie talks to Sophie about her own personal cancer story, being diagnosed with a rare form of liver cancer (cholangiocarcinoma), and reflects on the impact the King and Princess of Wales have made from their own cancer experiences.  

You can watch the full episode on our YouTube channel! 

We’ll be back soon with series 4! Thank you for tuning in and subscribe to be the first to listen to new episodes. 

Links: 

Read more about cholangiocarcinoma 

AMMF The Cholangiocarcinoma Charity 

Follow Katie on Instagram 

Discover more of Katie’s work: 

Vanity Fair 

DYNASTY podcast: The Royal Family’s Most Challenging Year 

For more cancer stories, visit Cancer News. 

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Here in the UK, radiotherapy plays a part in treating more than 140,000 people with cancer every year. From infants to adults, radiotherapy is a precise and personalised tool used to target many different types of cancer.

But how does it all work?

In this episode Sophie speaks to Hayley Brown, a science engagement manager at Cancer Research UK to explain alongside breaking down the history and evolution of radiotherapy. Sophie also speaks to Nevo, a image consultant and stylist who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012 and underwent radiotherapy as part of her cancer treatment. She explains what is was like and why she believes it's important to keep having a conversation about cancer.

If you enjoyed the episode, don’t forget to subscribe and watch it all on our YouTube channel!  

Extra links: 

Article --> Rays of hope: how Cancer Research UK helped shape radiotherapy

More info --> What is radiotherapy?

Follow us on Instagram to stay updated and for more cancer stories visit Cancer News.  

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We're entering the summer season and hopefully expecting some sunny weather. But with warm weather approaching we're likely to spend more time outdoors, so it’s time to start thinking about protecting ourselves from those UV rays!

Skin cancer is the 5th most common cancer in the UK, with almost 9 in 10 cases caused by exposure to too much ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun and sunbeds. It's important we take care of our skin and Sophie Brooks, who works in the health information team at Cancer Research UK, joins the podcast to provide some simple and effective tips alongside discussing some common skin cancer and sun safety myths.

But we're recently seeing an alarming increase in skin cancer cases and sunbed usage. In 2024, a survey by the charity Melanoma Focus found that 28% of UK adults use sunbeds, and seeing a rise to 43% among 18 to 25 year-olds. Jak, a content creator, also joins the podcast, sharing his personal cancer story being diagnosed with skin cancer at 21 years old and how his use of sunbeds may have played a big role.

If you enjoyed the episode, don’t forget to subscribe and watch it all on our YouTube channel!

Jak's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jakk_how

Article --> Skin cancer 101: What everyone should know

Cancer News article --> Clothing choices could be linked to melanoma skin cancer

Follow us on Instagram to stay updated and for more cancer stories visit Cancer News.  

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In this episode Sophie delves into the big topic of food and cancer.

She begins the conversation with her first guest, Professor Marc Gunter, a cancer epidemiologist who specialises in diet and obesity and is part of Cancer Grand Challenges team, PROMINENT. He talks all about how food can impact someone’s risk of getting cancer and unpacks some highly talked about foods, such as ultra processed foods, coffee beans and even the trending ‘green powders’.

Later in the episode, Cancer Research UK’s health information manager, Dr Rachel Orritt, speaks about misinformation and how sensationalised headlines can often make it to our media and our feeds. She also breaks down some common cancer and diet myths that comes across her desk and what a healthy balanced diet actually means.

If you enjoyed the episode, don’t forget to subscribe and watch it all on our YouTube channel!  

Extra links: 

Discover more about Cancer Grand Challenges 

Article --> Are ultra-processed foods linked to cancer?

Follow us on Instagram to stay updated and for more cancer stories visit Cancer News.  

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We think of cancer as a primarily elderly disease but there’s a rising trend of cancer cases in younger adults (age 25 to 50), also known as early onset cancer. And in this episode we’re discussing what early onset cancer is and why it’s rising. 

To start the conversation, Sophie speaks to Dr Nisha Duggan, a former researcher and now science engagement manager at Cancer Research UK, to unpack what cancer is and why early onset cancer might be different.  

Sophie also speaks to Professor Andrew Chan, a co-lead for one of the Cancer Grand Challenges teams, Team PROSPECT. Cancer Grand Challenges is a global research initiative that identifies the toughest challenges in cancer research, and Andrew and his team aim to answer some of the biggest questions around early onset cancer. He explains not only how they’re trying to understand the rise in cases, but also how they can reverse the trend. 

If you enjoyed the episode, don’t forget to subscribe and watch it all on our YouTube channel!  

Extra links: 

Discover more about Cancer Grand Challenges 

Article --> E. coli toxin could be linked to rising rates of bowel cancer in younger adults 

Follow us on Instagram to stay updated and for more cancer stories visit Cancer News.   

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In this special episode, we’re celebrating the Bowelbabe Fund for Cancer Research UK. The fund was set up by Dame Deborah James, also known as ‘Bowelbabe’, and her family in the last few weeks of her life.  

For this special episode of the podcast, Michelle Mitchell, Cancer Research UK’s chief executive, interviews four of Deborah’s family and friends. 

We have Ben James, Deborah’s brother and Sarah Wieczorek, Deborah’s sister. Emma Campbell (@limitless_em), author, speaker and podcast host who received treatment alongside Deborah and was a firm friend. And Steve Bland (@mr_blandy) an award-winning podcast producer and presenter. He joined the host line-up of the hugely popular You, Me and the Big C podcast alongside Deborah after his first wife Rachael passed away from breast cancer in 2018. 

Michelle sits down with Ben, Sarah, Emma and Steve to talk about their memories of Deborah and discuss the Bowelbabe Fund as they prepare to take on this year’s London Marathon as ‘Team Bowelbabe’. 

If you enjoyed the episode, don’t forget to subscribe and watch it all on our YouTube channel!   

LINKS:

You can donate to support Team Bowelbabe ---> here!

Read this article answering Bowel cancer’s most common questions. 

Learn more about team PROSPECT. 

Follow us on Instagram to stay updated and for more cancer stories visit Cancer News. 

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In our last episode, ‘What are cancer vaccines?’, Sophie spoke to Dr Heather Shaw to learn about cancer vaccines and how they work. In this second episode, we continue to dive deeper into the world of cancer vaccines to find out when we might see cancer vaccines as treatments for cancer. 

To start the conversation, Sophie speaks to Dr Lennard Lee, Associate Professor at University of Oxford and Chief Medical Officer of the EIT Institute, as well as co-founder of the NHS Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad. She also speaks to Cancer Research UK’s chief director of research and innovation, Dr Iain Foulkes, about how Cancer Research UK is playing a role in this ‘golden era’ of cancer treatments.

If you enjoyed the episode, don't forget to subscribe and watch the new season all on our YouTube channel!

Extra links: 

The Cancer Vaccine Bulletin 

Discover more about cancer vaccines --> Cancer vaccines - where are we?

Follow us on Instagram to stay updated and for more cancer stories visit Cancer News.

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Have you heard of cancer vaccines? Maybe you've seen a headline or two, but what is a cancer vaccine?

In this episode, Sophie talks to Dr Heather Shaw, a skin cancer clinician and researcher at University College London, who is leading the first skin cancer (melanoma) vaccine trial in the UK. From what makes a cancer vaccine to discussing when we can see one in our clinics - we take a deep dive into the world of cancer vaccines.

Discover more about cancer vaccines --> Cancer vaccines - where are we?

If you enjoyed the episode, don't forget to subscribe and watch the new season all on our YouTube channel!

Follow us on Instagram to stay updated and for more cancer stories visit Cancer News.

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Welcome to another episode of That Cancer Conversation, a podcast from Cancer Research UK that brings together the science and the stories behind cancer.  

In this episode, Sophie will be looking at the human genome and explore how changes in our DNA can increase our risk of getting cancer. Prof Mike Stratton, former director of the Wellcome Sanger Institute and a pioneer in cancer genetics, helps unpack this question and tells us how he and his team persevered to find the second BRCA gene (BRCA2) and its mutation. 

It’s been 30 years since the discovery of the first BRCA gene, BRCA1. Sophie sits down with Maria, her sister, Chrissy, and their mother, all who were tested positive for the BRCA2 gene mutation. They discuss their cancer stories and how the life-changing discovery of the BRCA genes has affected them as a family.  

Read more cancer stories on Cancer News

You can donate to Cancer Research UK here

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But what can the government do to stop those 4 out of every 10 cancers before they even start?

Welcome to the fourth episode of our mini-series, That Cancer Conversation Longer, better lives. 

In this episode, Sophie sits with Alizee Froguel who works on prevention policy here at Cancer Research UK. They discuss what’s causing most of these preventable cancers, the announcement of the general election and what's next for achieving a smokefree UK. 

Read more about Longer, better lives

For more cancer stories, visit Cancer News

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We’re kicking off Volunteers’ Week 2024 with the second of our special episodes celebrating our inspiring volunteers. 

Last time, we chatted to Penny, one of our campaigns ambassadors. This week, we’re moving into the world of events with Rhian. 

Rhian has been volunteering at Race for Life and Pretty Muddy events across London since 2021. She was inspired to get involved after her own diagnosis of ovarian cancer. 

If you're looking for a way to get stuck in and make a difference, head to our volunteering pages to find out how you can get involved. Every minute counts and every hour you give takes us one step closer to beating cancer. 

If you’re enjoying the podcast, help us out by leaving a review or subscribing wherever you get your podcasts. 

And if there are any cancer conversations you want us to have in future, let us know at sciencesurgery@cancer.org.uk 

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Here at Cancer Research UK, we’re grateful to benefit from the support of more than 25,000 incredible volunteers, who donate their time to help us beat cancer.  

So, in the lead up to Volunteers’ Week on the 3rd of June, we want to say a huge thank you to our brilliant community of volunteers, whose support makes our life-saving research possible.

To celebrate their stories, we’re diving into the world of volunteering across 2 special episodes. 

First up, we’re chatting to Penny, who's been volunteering with us for over 10 years, both as a campaign’s ambassador and as a member of the Children & Young People Insights Panel. After losing family members to cancer, Penny started volunteering in 2010 when she was 21, and hasn’t looked back since. 

If you're feeling inspired by Penny's story, head to our website to find out how you can get involved volunteering for Cancer Research UK.

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Without research the progress we've made in beating cancer wouldn’t be where it is today. But that progress is at risk of stalling.

To keep up and to plug the funding gap, we would need to find an additional £1 billion pounds over the next decade.  

In this episode, Sophie sits down with Owen Jackson, head of policy at Cancer Research UK to understand what challenges scientists in the UK are currently facing and what the UK Government needs to do to help.  

To join us in telling party leaders to back our calls for longer, better lives, you can sign our open letter.   

Read our manifesto

For more cancer stories, visit Cancer News   

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While bowel cancer is relatively rare for people in their 30s and 40s to get bowel cancer, cases are rising.  

At 39 years old Dr Anisha Patel (@doctorsgetcancertoo), a practicing GP, was diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer. Now, 6 years on, Anisha is dedicated to raising awareness of cancer, especially in adults under 50.

In this episode we talk to Anisha discussing her diagnosis, her book and helping the Cancer Grand Challenges team, PROSPECT, work out the cause for the increase in numbers.

Anisha's book:

Everything You Hoped You’d Never Need to Know about Bowel Cancer

Read more about team PROSPECT

For more cancer stories, visit Cancer News

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April is Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Awareness Month, where charities and the young people we support come together to raise awareness of the unique challenges of having cancer during some of the most intense years of your life.   

In this episode Sophie speaks to Shaumya, who was 18 years old and getting ready to go to medical school when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma, right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Since joining the The Royal Marsden Youth Forum, Shaumya has been an advocate for age-appropriate care for teenagers and young adults.  

She co-hosts her own cancer podcast, Afterthoughts: The Teenage Years, highlighting teenage voices, and is also part of the Cancer Research UK for Children & Young People Patient Insight Panel, where she helps make sure people affected by cancer are always at the heart of our work. Recently, she’s helped choose our new logo and spoken to researchers from across the UK at our first Children’s and Young People’s Cancer Research Conference.  

To read more cancer stories visit https://news.cancerresearchuk.org/

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You might recognise our next guest, as she was part of our ‘Together We Are Beating Cancer’ campaign featuring on a TV advert as well as billboards and posters on display across the UK, during September.  

Dr Mei-Ling Lancashire is a GP who was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer 2 years ago. In this episode, Sophie sits with Mei-Ling to talk about her cancer experience and why she believes politicians need to start prioritising cancer.   

To join us in telling party leaders to back our calls for longer, better lives, you can sign our open letter.   

Read the manifesto

Sign our open letter

Sign up to be a Campaigns Ambassador

For more cancer stories, visit Cancer News

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But not all of it has been felt equally. People’s experience of the healthcare system, and ultimately how likely they are to be successfully diagnosed and treated, varies massively. These are known as health inequalities and can be caused by a range of factors. 

In this episode of That Cancer Conversation, we’re exploring how deprivation impacts cancer inequalities and what we can do to narrow the gap. 

We speak to Cancer Research advocate and public health manager for Luton, Elizabeth Bailey, the lead researcher of the Inequalities Cancer Outcome Network programme, Professor Bernard Rachet and Julia Cotterill, a health information officer here at Cancer Research UK.  

Find out more about World Cancer Day:  

• https://www.worldcancerday.org/close-care-gap 
• https://news.cancerresearchuk.org/2024/02/02/world-cancer-day-2024/ 

Find out more about ICON and their work 

Read more about health inequalities  

For more cancer stories, visit Cancer News  

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At Cancer Research UK, we know that huge strides have been made in beating cancer – with survival in the UK doubling over the last 50 years.   

But this hard-won progress is at risk of stalling.   

The cancer crisis is urgent. Every day, people affected by cancer face anxious waits for tests and treatment, reflected in month after month of missed cancer waiting time targets. And for UK cancer research, we’ve identified a funding gap of more than £1bn in the next decade, putting our world leading research at risk. 

That’s why, in late 2023, we embarked on an ambitious policy development programme, giving a voice to the millions of patients and thousands of researchers who are demanding for real progress in cancer research and care in the UK. 

And so, Longer, better lives was born.  

Follow Sophie over the next five episodes as she uncovers the missions behind this manifesto and why we need it now more than ever. 

In this first episode, Sophie speaks to Shaun Walsh, Head of public affairs and campaigns at Cancer Research UK. Shaun has followed the manifesto’s journey, from conception to its launch in November, and explains what it is and why Cancer Research UK has created it. 

Read the manifesto

Sign our open letter

Sign up to be a Campaigns Ambassador

For more cancer stories, visit Cancer News

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In this episode of That Cancer Conversation, we're going to take you into the world of clinical research and walk you through the pathway, from how we design trials in the first place, right through to taking part, to give you the full picture of what a clinical trial really involves. 

We spoke to Ruth Plummer, professor of experimental cancer medicine at the University of Newcastle, Karen Turner, a senior research nurse at the University of Birmingham, and Peter, who took part in the Cancer Research UK-funded CHHiP trial after being diagnosed with prostate cancer. 

Learn more about the topic: 

• What are clinical trials? 
• Find a clinical trial 
• CHHiP 
• Our senior research nurses 

If you’d like to talk to someone, our nurses are available Monday to Friday 9-5pm on freephone 0808 800 4040. 

For more news about all things cancer, check out Cancer News

And if you have a question you’d like us to answer or topic you want us to explore, you can send an email to sciencesurgery@cancer.org.uk and tell us about your idea! 

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Austin was diagnosed with a type of blood cancer called acute lymphoblastic leukaemia when he was 2 years old.

In 2016, scientists took some cells from Austin’s immune system. Dr Sara Ghorashian, from the Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, changed them so they could recognise cancer cells as a threat. Then they were put back into Austin’s body. 

Since then, Austin has been cancer free. Now he’s even helping researchers find out how to make CAR-T cell therapy more effective.  

Lou and Scott take us through Austin’s story, and Sara guides us through the science that has helped keep it going. We also speak to Caroline Leek, a former scientist who specialises in supporting families affected by cancer, about how focusing on fun can help adults and children talk about painful and emotional experiences. 

Learn more about the resources discussed: 

• About Cancer - Children’s cancer 
• Fruit Fly Collective 
• CARPALL trial 
• Echo Games 

For more cancer stories, check out Cancer News!

And if you have a question you’d like us to answer or topic you want us to explore, you can send an email to sciencesurgery@cancer.org.uk and tell us about your idea! 

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September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and in this first episode we’re hearing from Dr Laura Danielson, our research lead for children’s and young people’s cancer.  

Laura moved across the Atlantic to make sure her work had the best chance of helping patients. And, since arriving in the UK, she’s gone from testing a neuroblastoma treatment as one of our funded researchers to managing our entire research strategy for children’s and young people’s cancers. 

Here she takes us through everything she’s learned along the way, explaining how the people she’s met and the challenges she’s faced continue to drive her, and reflecting on what it means to work for a future where all children and young people can live longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer. 

Learn more about the resources discussed: 

• Cancer Research UK for children and young people 
• About Cancer – Children’s cancers 

For more cancer stories, check out Cancer News!

If you’d like to talk to someone, our nurses are available Monday to Friday 9-5pm on freephone 0808 800 4040. 

And if you have a question you’d like us to answer or topic you want us to explore, you can send an email to sciencesurgery@cancer.org.uk and tell us about your idea! 

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In this episode, we're diving into the inequalities faced by one group in particular, the LGBTQ+ community, and what we can do to make cancer care more inclusive for everyone.   

To get some insight into the inequalities in cancer care in the LGBTQ+ community and what needs to change to reduce them, we hear from Dr Alison Berner a medical oncologist, academic clinical lecturer, and speciality doctor in adult gender identity medicine, and Stewart O’Callaghan, founder and CEO of the LGBTQ+ cancer charity OutPatients. (Note, OutPatients was known as Live Through This at the time of recording, and is therefore referred to as such throughout the episode).

Learn more about the research and resources discussed:   

• I’m trans or non-binary, does this affect my cancer screening? 
• OutPatients (formerly Live Through This)
• UK Cancer and Transition Service (UCATS) 
• Best For My Chest (Inclusive breast screening information) 
• Remove the Doubt (Inclusive cervical cancer screening information) 

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But what about what we eat? 

In this episode, we hear from Dr Clare Shaw, a lead cancer dietician and therapy researcher who has written multiple books with the Royal Marsden Hospital, including The Cancer Cookbook. And Professor Karen Vousden, co-founder of Faeth Therapeutics, a company looking at how diets could help beat cancer. 

From taste changes to the keto diet, we sit down with our knowledgeable guests to help us scratch the surface of the vast world of diet and cancer. And help us navigate through the question ‘Could food improve cancer treatment?’ 

Find out more about our fantastic guests: 

• Dr Clare Shaw  
• Prof. Karen Vousden 

Discover more about the research and resources discussed: 

• British Dietetics Association diet myths 
• Faeth Therapeutics 
• About Cancer pages on diet and cancer 

For more cancer stories from us, check out Cancer news!

And if you have a question you’d like us to answer or a topic you want us to explore, you can send an email to sciencesurgery@cancer.org.uk and tell us about your idea! 

To get notified when new episodes drop you can subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. 

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From chemotherapy to sex shops, we sit down with three amazing guests to discuss sexual wellbeing for those living with and beyond cancer. 

Cancer nurse and psychosexual therapist, Dr Isabel White speaks about the various ways cancer can impact our sexual wellbeing and shares some tips on how to have conversations about sex with health professionals.   

Sex with Cancer co-founder, Brian Lobel tells us about the online initiative he created with his friend Joon-Lynn Goh, and the vital resources that have been gathered along the journey. 

And Tara shares her personal experience of having cervical cancer and exploring her body and sexuality beyond treatment. 

If you’d like to learn more about sex and cancer, here are some resources:

• About Cancer
• Sex with Cancer 
• College of Sexual & Relationship Therapists
• Live Through This 
• Perci health

For more cancer stories from us, check out Cancer news!

And if there are cancer conversations you want us to have or topics you want us to explore, send us an email at sciencesurgery@cancer.org.uk to tell us about your idea.

To get updated on more episodes subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Egyptian mummies and medieval wolves, to precision medicine and microscopic evolution, we take a look at the past to find out why curing cancer is more complex than we think, and what is needed next to get us closer to a future without cancer.  

In this latest episode of That Cancer Conversation, we hear from Dr Alanna Skuse, Dr Mariam Jamal-Hanjani and Sir Leszek Borysiewicz to help us scratch the surface of the age-old question, “Why haven’t we cured cancer?” 

Find out more about our three fantastic guests: 

• Dr Alanna Skuse  
• Dr Mariam Jamal-Hanjani  
• Sir Leszek Borysiewicz 

Find out more about the research discussed: 

• A history of cancer – Construction of Cancer in Early Modern England 
• TRACERx trial 
• The PEACE trial  

You can listen and subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Globally, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women - 99% of cases worldwide are caused by a few high-risk strains of a common virus called human papillomavirus and in many countries around the world, people are given a vaccine to prevent HPV at an early age.

Despite data from countries like Sweden and the UK showing that vaccination programmes reduce cervical cancer rates dramatically, there are still countries - such as the USA - that don't have universally accessible programmes.

We hear from Dr Ishu Kataria - Public Health Researcher at RTI International, whose work into non-communicable diseases has found her working with the UN and WHO. Right now, she and her team are working out how to get the HPV vaccine to more than 70 million girls in India.

How to find out more about Dr Kataria's work:

• Follow Dr Kataria at @ishukataria3
• Dr Ishu Kataria - RTI International

To read more about the topics discussed:

• “That is what I dream”: India’s journey to rolling out the HPV vaccine - Cancer Research UK
• Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative - WHO
• HPV vaccine cutting cervical cancer by nearly 90% - BBC
• HPV Vaccine Should Be Universal For Boys And Girls, Ages 9-14 - Forbes

You can listen and subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Outside of the lab, Sigourney is the co-founder of Black in Cancer, a global organisation that aims to strengthen the network between Black people in the cancer space whilst highlighting Black excellence in cancer research and medicine.

During Black History Month, Black in Cancer runs a week of events across various social media platforms and organises webinars to help educate researchers, medical experts, and those affected by cancer.

We hear about what the challenges are of working on a rare children's cancer, find out what led to the founding of Black in Cancer, and learn what's on the agenda from October 10th - 15th for Black in Cancer Week 2021.

How to find out more about Black in Cancer:

• Follow Sigourney at @siggs28 on Twitter and Instagram
• Check out @blackincancer on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
• Black in Cancer website
• Check out #BlackinCancerWeek21

To read more about the topics discussed:

• Delivering the future of paediatric brain tumour therapy - Cancer Research UK
• Gilbertson Lab - Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute
• The Legacy of Henrietta Lacks - Johns Hopkins Medicine
• Henrietta Lacks: science must right a historical wrong - Nature
• Henrietta Lacks’ estate sues drug company that sold her cells - The Guardian

You can listen and subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

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From Madagascar to a Kew Gardens in London, we explore how scientists across the globe use indigenous knowledge and pharmaceutical science to help develop the treatments of tomorrow.

And in a world-first, a cannabis-derived drug, known as Sativex, is being trialled in combination with chemotherapy to see if it could be used to help people with a certain type of aggressive brain cancer.

• The botanical history of medicine (2:04)
• How do we find the plant medicines of tomorrow? (6:10)
• The search for a chemical needle in a botanical haystack (9:09)
• Making drugs: converting cuttings into capsules (14:02)
• Is it more complex than putting a leaf in a pill? (18:28)
• Sativex: trialling a cannabis-derived spray on brain cancer (22:50)
• Do we know how cannabinoids work on brain tumour cells? (26:51)
• Cannabis and cancer: it's not that simple (28:43)

ARISTOCRAT is a randomised phase II study of temozolomide with or without cannabinoids in patients with recurrent glioblastoma.

It's being funded by The Brain Tumour Charity and co-ordinated by the Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit at the University of Birmingham.

ARISTOCRAT is due to begin recruiting just over 230 patients across all UK nations in early 2022.

To learn more about the ARISTOCRAT trial, you can check out:

• World-first trial tests cannabis-based drug on aggressive brain tumours - University of Leeds
• Glioblastoma Research: Phase II Clinical Trial of Cannabis Derivatives - The Brain Tumour Charity
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If you’d like to talk to someone, our nurses are available Monday to Friday 9-5pm on freephone 0808 800 4040.

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From teenage body worries to an intercontinental surrogacy story, we chat to Max, Kreena and Eleanor – 3 people whose cancer journeys affected their fertility in some way.

Is freezing sperm and egg cells the only option? Not necessarily.

We sit down with Professor Richard Anderson, deputy director of the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Reproductive Health, to explore options that are available and what the future of fertility medicine could look like.

If you would like to learn more about cancer and fertility, here are some resources:

·     Cancer Fertility and Me

·     Fertility and chemotherapy

·     Your options and coping with losing your fertility

If you’d like to talk to someone, Cancer Research UK nurses are available Monday to Friday 9-5pm on freephone 0808 800 4040.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.