Category Archives: Cancer Research UK

The warning signs for cancer are not always obvious. Often when people visit the doctor complaining of symptoms such as indigestion it is impossible to determine on the first appointment whether cancer is the cause. More often than not the cause is something far less serious. Currently there is no simple test that can determine whether a patient needs to be referred to a specialist for additional testing for a wide range of cancers.

All that is needed is a breath sample

There is however a trial being conducted that is funded by Cancer Research UK at the MRC Unit at the University of Cambridge that seeks to change that by attempting to develop a cancer test that simply needs a breath sample. The idea is to develop a test that can detect volatile molecules in the breath which would indicate whether a patient may have an early cancer they are unaware of.

Pilot study

The study is a pilot, so the researchers are examining a range of cancers to determine whether they can obtain a signal and compare it to signals of healthy individuals. Obviously the first cancer that would be detected would be lunch cancer and testing for this cancer using breath using proprietary technology is already ongoing. The problem is that the way the body recycles metabolites, may other volatile molecules from different parts of the body also end up in the breath as well.

Determining the difference between cancer signatures

If the technology is able to determine the difference between cancer signatures and healthy ones, the researchers will then see if there are differences between cancer types or if there is only a single cancer signature. Depending on how the research progresses, the breath test technology has the potential to be used on the general population to screen them and determine whether individuals have cancer without displaying any symptoms.

Cancer screening would become simple

The goal is to make is as simple as possible for an individual to undertake a breath test. Ideally the testing device would be sitting in a GP’s surgery. Before such a test can be rolled out, a number of large-scale studies would have to be completed in order to confirm that the benefits outweigh the risks. Ultimately such a test would be used as a screening tool where healthy people are tested as well as being used as a triage test that GP’s can use to help them determine which patients need to be referred.

Research team needs data

What is required for such a test to come to fruition is data and the researchers need to find enough patients with a variety of different cancers that they wish to investigate. The research team say they are confident that the non-invasive nature of a breath test means finding subjects will not be difficult. All that is required from people who participate is about ten minutes worth of their breath. So long as individuals volunteer there will be enough data to collect to draw the necessary conclusions which would bring a cancer breath test a step closer to reality.

Cancer Research UK says that within 25 years, the leading cause of preventable cancer in the UK amongst women will no longer be smoking but will be obesity instead. Part of that is down to the fact the most common’s weight related cancers only affect women such as breast cancer. Cancer Research UK says that adult obesity increases the risk of as many as 13 different types of cancer ranging from bowel to kidney cancer. Less than 1 in 7 people in the UK however are aware there is a link between obesity and cancer.

Increasing awareness

Cancer Research UK has been running an awareness campaign featuring massive posters in locations where there is plenty of footfall. The organisation is seeking to show people they have gaps in their knowledge and wants to educate the public that the biggest preventable cause of cancer today after smoking is obesity. A Cancer Research UK spokesperson says a half century ago, most people were unaware that smoking causes cancer.

Highlighting the link between obesity and cancer

Today the organisation wants to highlight the link between obesity and cancer and make sure it has the public’s attention so that they know the facts. Companies are bombarding the public with advertisements for junk food. Many accessible foods are high in calories which makes it very difficult for people to maintain a healthy weight.

The government needs to act

Cancer Research UK hopes that its campaign will force the government to take measures to tackle the obesity epidemic and make it easier for all us to make far healthier choices. Obesity is a massive threat to public health that will only get worse if we fail to act. The government can help reduce the number of obesity related cancers by making it simpler for people to maintain a healthy weight and protect their children. Overweight children are five times more likely to be obese as an adult.

Awareness campaigns and legislation work

The measures Cancer Research UK is urging the government to adopt is a ban on junk food advertisements before 9PM and for restrictions to be placed of the discounting of less healthy products. The reduction in the number of people who smoke is something society needs to celebrate. It is an example of what can happen after decades of efforts to raise awareness of the health risks associated with the habit. When you combine that with strong political support such as taxation policy, banning advertising and smoking in indoor places, the efforts do pay off.

Cancer Research UK has funded a new study that has found that vapers who use low nicotine e-cigarettes tend to use their devices far more intensely than those users who vape using high nicotine e-cigarettes. This means the group using low nicotine e-cigarettes is potentially at greater risk of increased exposures to toxins in the vapour.  The basic finding of the research is that smokers who decide to switch to vaping would probably be better of starting with higher rather than lower nicotine levels.

Compensatory behaviour

The researchers studied 20 e-cigarette users and found users of low nicotine e-liquid tended to take deeper inhalations and tended to do so more often in comparison to users of high nicotine liquid. They also tended to increase the power of their vaping devices. Despite trying to compensate for the low nicotine, vapers were unable to feel the effects of nicotine in the same way as the high nicotine group did, but in their attempt to do so increased their exposure to toxins such as formaldehyde.

Vaping much less harmful than smoking

Whilst toxins are present in vapour, they tend to be fewer and at lower levels when compared to tobacco smoke. The evidence suggests that both high and low nicotine e-cigarettes are much less harmful in comparison to tobacco. Users of low nicotine vapour also found they had a stronger urge to vape and felt withdrawal more acutely and were less satisfied after vaping.

Low nicotine costs more financially and health wise

Dr Lynne Dawkins of London South Bank University who headed up the study says that some people making the switch from tobacco to vaping may believe that beginning with low nicotine is good, however they should be aware that doing so is likely to result in the use of more e-liquid. Not only does that end up costing more financially but will also possibly have negative health consequences as well. Dr Dawkins does acknowledge however that to conclusively determine whether higher nicotine e-liquids are preferable, research on a larger scale is necessary.

Try different strategies to give up smoking

A Cancer Research UK spokesperson echoed the comments made by Dr Dawkins and says that whilst there are harmful chemicals in e-cigarette vapour, tobacco smoke is much worse. The best thing a smoker can do is simply stop smoking and if they need to, transition to e-cigarettes instead, that is one way to achieve that goal. A low nicotine approach is perhaps not the most appropriate strategy for everyone trying to give up nor is it necessarily the safest.

Summer may well be over but there is still plenty to take away from what may well have been the warmest hot season in recent memory. Cancer Research UK has partnered with NIVEA SUN to release data which paints a picture of the sun care habits of British parents. The data indicates that many parents fail to provide the necessary skin protection from the sun. More than half of all parents said they had been sunburnt in the UK over the last year and many parents are confused about what safety precautions to take in particular from UV and SPF which have the potential to cause problems for the long-term health of children.

Not protecting skin from the sun

The survey polled 1,110 parents and questioned them about their behaviour in the sun and found that almost two thirds of respondents admitted they were more likely to protect their skin from the sun when they went abroad rather than when they were in the UK. Cancer Research UK and NIVEA sun warn that the sun can be just as strong in the UK as it is abroad so it is important to protect skin not just whilst on holiday but whilst people are at home as well. Data also suggests that people don’t have to be lying in the sun in order to get sunburnt. The most common place to get burnt is in the garden, followed by the beach and then doing outdoor DIY and that could cause lasting long-term skin damage.

Parents need to set a good example

According to the data just 28 per cent of parents strongly agree that they set a good example to follow for their children when it comes to protection from the sun. Children typically imitate their parents, so Cancer Research UK and its partner are advising parents to protect both their own and their children’s skin when they go outside in strong sun. Many parents are confused when it comes to safety in the sun with 10 per cent of those polled saying they were not sure or did not know there is a specific period when people need to be more careful in the sun. People need to be extra careful between 11am and 3pm according to Cancer Research UK and its partner.

Keep track of the UV Index

Many parents know nothing about the UV Index. UV rays can travel through clouds and this means it is possible to get sunburnt even when the weather is overcast. The UV Index lets people know how strong the sun is at ground level. When it exceeds 3 or more, this means the sun is particularly strong and some people could end up being sunburnt. The higher the number the greater the risk. For people wishing to check the UV index, simply visit www.metoffice.gov.uk/uv .

Parents do protect their children

On a brighter note, the data also shows that UK parents do indeed protect their children’s skin when they go outdoors. 85 per cent of those polled said they protected their children’s skin at the beach and comparable percentages also did so when children were in the garden or going for picnics. A Cancer Research UK spokesperson said whilst it is important to get some sun in order to develop and maintain healthy bones, it is important for people not to over do it and risk skin damage caused by sunburn.

There are now a greater number of ten to eleven-year olds in England than has ever been previously recorded according to the most recent data by Public Health England. According to the research, four out of every hundred students in Year 6 are considered to be severely obese. Just twelve years ago that number was three in every hundred. A nutritionist with Public Health England says the rise is alarming and dealing with it will take time.

Worried by the trend

Researchers are worried by the increase in severe obesity and greater health inequalities and point to both these trends when they say bold measures are necessary if the threat to children’s health is to be tackled. Cancer Research UK’s prevention expert Professor Linda Bauld is urging the government to regulate the advertising of junk food and says it should be banned before 9 pm. Dr Bauld says it is well known that advertising aimed at children is a big part of why childhood obesity is growing.

Banning junk food advertising

According to research from Cancer Research UK, young people are more than twice as likely to be obese if they can recall viewing an advert for junk food every day compared to young people who had no memory of one over a month. The National Child Measurement Programme maintains records of the height and weight of more than a million children between the ages of four to eleven every year.

Geographical inequalities

According to analysis of the data recorded, the number of children considered severely obese has dramatically risen since 2006. Another observation is that there were differences in the health of children across the country. Children living in the most deprived areas were more likely to be obese.

Obesity is the second most preventable cause of cancer

According to Dr Bauld, it is worrying that the number of children beginning secondary education who are severely obese is at record high and that inequalities in health are widening instead of shrinking. Children who live in the most deprived communities are 40 per cent more likely to recall viewing a junk food advert on a daily basis. There is a strong link with obese children and the likelihood that obesity will persist into adulthood. Adult obesity is the second most preventable cause of cancer after smoking.

Cancer Research UK will become one of the first large British charities to abolish unpaid internships and from June 2018 the charity will ensure that all interns receive a stipend for their work. Cancer Research decided to implement the policy as part of a broader initiative to improve standards of equality, diversity and inclusion. Cancer Research UK says is it is completely committed to creating a culture of inclusion, one where everyone is able to achieve their full potential.

Charities taking advantage of the law

Presently the National Minimum Wage Law has provisions for charities to employ unpaid interns, however the non-profit sector has been criticised for taking advantage of that provision and employing people who simply wish to establish a career within the sector. Unpaid internships also discriminate against those who do not have sufficient funding to be able to work for free. The paid internship programme at Cancer Research UK is 12 weeks long and gives the opportunity to school leavers aged over 18 and university undergraduates and graduates or people who wish to switch careers the opportunity to gain work experience.

Now is the time for change

Successful applicants to Cancer Research UK’s internship programme seeking to start their career in the non-profit sector will develop a unique insight into what it takes to work for a charitable organisation whilst also playing a role in the fight against cancer. Sir Harpal Kumar, the charity’s Chief Executive says the issue is a complex one, however the organisation believes now is the right time to deal with it.  He adds that is it unfair that those who cannot afford it should be excluded from an internship programme at an organisation like Cancer Research UK.

Everyone should be paid a fair wage

At the moment the priority for the charity it to allocate as much money as possible towards the goal of beating cancer. Mr Kumar says there are however some costs that should not be avoided and this includes ensuring that all members of Cancer Research UK’s staff are paid a fair wage for their contribution. Mr Kumar goes on to say that his organisation is drawing a clear distinction between the thousands of people who choose to volunteer out of altruism and interns who wish to establish a career in the non-profit sector.

Other big UK charities likely to follow suit

Tanya de Grunwald a campaigner for fair internships says the decision by Cancer Research UK represents a major step for people seeking to start careers in the non-profit sector. She adds that the line between a true volunteer and a junior charity job has become blurred because neither is paid. It is not easy to demarcate the two, but there is a clear difference and it is very important that the difference be made clear. She concludes that now Cancer Research UK has taken this step, it will be much easier for other major charities in the UK to follow suit.

The latest Public Health England (PHE) data suggests that the number of people smoking in the country has fallen to the lowest level on record. According to the data last year the number of people who smoked fell to 16.9 per cent in England down from 17.8 per cent in 2014. Alison Cox who heads up Cancer Research UK’s prevention department said that smoking continues to be the main preventable cause of cancer. This means that data suggesting that smoking rates are at a record low is pleasing.

 “ Today’s data shows large regional variations that reflect health inequalities between the richest and poorest in England. The NHS has said that its future sustainability relies on an upgrade in public health and preventing disease, but a reduction in the number of people smoking won’t happen on its own. We need well-funded tools to help smokers to quit, like local stop-smoking services, but cuts to public health budgets are making it harder for smokers to get this support. The government must make good on its promise of an ambitious new tobacco strategy, and provide sustainable funding to deliver it.” Ms Cox said.

Rich poor divide

The rate of smoking for people who engage in routine and manual jobs continues to be stubbornly high, however it has fallen to 26.5 per cent down from 28 per cent in 2015. The data also draws a clear connection between the number of years of life lost as a result of smoking related illness and wealth. There is a clear rich-poor divide with those living in the poorest areas twice as likely to die from smoking related disease than those living in the richest. It also appears that fewer people are setting definite dates of when they will quit with the number of people setting a quit date falling to 5,549 per 100,000 people.

Cancer Research UK commissioned a new survey which found that the majority of people in the United Kingdom do not worry that a cancer diagnosis would result in death. Of the people who had been diagnosed with cancer and were polled, it was found that just 30 per cent said one of the emotions they felt after receiving the news was fear of death. Another result was that 29 per cent of people who knew someone that had been diagnosed with cancer mentioned fear of death. 52 per cent expressed shock at the news whilst 68 per cent said they felt sad.

Two new cancer films

An overwhelming majority of those polled (70 per cent) said they agreed the best way to develop new treatments was through scientific research. Cancer Research UK’s latest campaign is aimed at trying to promote the personal impact of cancer. The charity has produced a couple of films which depict cancer patients going through treatment or show the experience of being given test results. The campaign is called “Right Now” and includes cancer patients, their friends and family as well as hospital staff and researchers.

New research

Cancer Research UK is hoping the campaign will raise awareness amongst ordinary people that the disease has both an emotional and physical impact. The campaign also highlights that there is research being undertaken to develop better treatments which improve the chances of survival of people who have been diagnosed with the disease. Of the people polled only 6 per cent were able to correctly state that one in two people in the UK are likely to be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their life.

More patients are surviving

Martin Ledwick, Cancer Research UK’s head cancer information nurse, says that it is quite reassuring that people do not worry about death in their immediate response to a cancer diagnosis. He adds that a diagnosis can be overwhelming however there is now more research than ever before which has produced improved treatments with far more patients surviving.

“Cancer Research UK is working every day to keep improving the outlook for patients. Better awareness of signs and symptoms, improved screening and diagnostic tests, and more effective treatments will help us achieve our goal of helping three in four people survive cancer for at least 10 years, rising from two in four. Our latest campaign is a powerful reminder of why we need to do this. Right now.” Mr. Ledwick said.