Cancer
Cancer is currently one of the leading causes of death in the western world, largely due to its difficulty to detect and even greater difficulty to cure. The effects of cancer are uncontrolled cell growth (tumours) in areas of the body, and this growth is both unsustainable and damaging to the organs. The leading causes of cancer include smoking, obesity and infection. Research into how we can control this terrible illness is constantly being conducted, especially into the causes and effects of cancer at a genetic level.
The bold new treatments that could soon tame - and prevent - cancer
One of the most pressing medical challenges facing the
world’s ageing population is the fight against cancer.
But is this a battle that’s winnable – and what
technologies are being developed to wage the war?
Here’s what we’re getting wrong about prostate cancer
Does screening more men for prostate cancer actually save lives?
Microscopic robots could soon float inside your liver to fight cancer
Canadian researchers are closing in on a novel approach to treat liver tumours using microrobots in a MRI device.
Skin cancer cases are rising. Here's what we can do about it
Global figures are expected to reach 2.7 million by 2040.
Ground-breaking test can catch signs of 14 early-stage cancers
The test measures changes in metabolic sugars found in the blood and urine.
Nanobots made from DNA could fight cancer by delivering drugs directly to tumours
Initial experiments in mice have shown the bots are significantly more effective than current treatments.
Air pollution could trigger lung cancer for people who have never smoked
Research into the dangerous effects of air pollution could lead to approaches to lung cancer prevention.
Our gut microbiomes aren't getting enough fibre, but supplements can help study finds
Modern low-fibre diets are thought to have a negative impact on our health and could increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, digestive disorders and colon cancer.
Drug cures 100 per cent of colorectal cancer patients in small initial trial
All 14 patients treated in the phase II clinical trial remained cancer-free for up to two years, without the need for surgery or chemotherapy.
DNA tumour study unearths new clues about cancer-causing genetic mutations
Biggest-of-its-kind study involved analysis from the whole-genome sequences of more than 12,000 NHS cancer patients.
Scientists engineer an implant that can deliver cancer-fighting meds directly into your body
Frequently forgetting to take your medication? Researchers have found a novel way of fighting cancer in mice by implanting drug-making factories right next to a tumour.
Sniffer ants can smell cancer better than dogs
Scientists have trained a colony of ants to sniff out cancerous cells with surprising accuracy.
Why does chemo cause your hair to grow back differently?
Your hair may grow back with a different colour and texture.
A stunning kaleidoscope of images revealed as winners of Great Ormond Street's first image awards
In this exclusive preview, Great Ormond Street Hospital reveals stunning images of life-changing research in their first photography prize.
mRNA vaccines: How COVID jab tech will teach our bodies to kill cancer
The pandemic derailed a lot of medical research. But the effort that was suddenly redirected towards developing a vaccine for COVID-19 may have helped us make important progress on at least one breakthrough: preventing cancer.
New blood test can tell if cancer has spread around the body
The test could be performed at a GP practice and would help doctors prioritise patients with widespread and later stage cancer.
Breast cancer: Artificial intelligence boosts accuracy of tumour diagnoses
The image recognition technique could help doctors to prescribe more effective treatments.
Revolutionary cancer vaccine trials inspired by COVID jab begin
Initial trials in mice show that the vaccine can shrink tumours and increase survival rates.
3D-printed liver models will help surgeons ‘rehearse’ cancer surgeries
The technique can be used to create accurate models of patients' organs complete with imitation cancerous tumours and imitation blood.
Blood test can accurately detect 50 types of early-stage cancer
The test is based on a type of DNA that is shed by tumours into the bloodstream.
Cancer in the court: CT scans identify lesions in medieval Britons' remains
Even though they lived before the carcinogens of cigarettes and industrial pollution, up to 14 per cent of medieval Britains could have died from cancer.
New treatment could offer 'a new weapon in our arsenal against cancer'
Tests in the lab showed the new treatment reduced the growth of leukaemic cells and significantly prolonged the lifespan of mice with blood cancer.
'Life-changing' new breast cancer treatment can be administered in just five minutes
The new injection can replace the current two-and-a-half hour treatment, which “significantly cuts” the COVID-19 infection risk for cancer patients by reducing the amount of time they have to spend in hospital.
A national screening programme 'could prevent one in six prostate cancer deaths'
Every day there are 130 new cases of prostate cancer diagnosed, and more than 10,000 people die each year as a result of the disease.