Articles
A growing library of practical oncology explainers for patients and families.
How radiotherapy damages cancer cells, why treatment is carefully planned and image guided, and why dose and number of visits differ between patients.
How to understand relative risk reductions, absolute benefit and the starting risk when discussing cancer treatment.
How HPV, hepatitis viruses and H. pylori can contribute to particular cancers, without making cancer itself an ordinary contagious illness.
What early-onset cancer trends mean, why relative increases need context and why unexplained symptoms deserve attention at any age.
What multi-cancer detection blood tests look for, why a signal is not a diagnosis and what evidence is needed to understand their benefits and harms.
How common cancer drug treatments work, why the treatment name does not tell you its aim and why side effects differ.
Why radiotherapy effects depend on the area treated, which symptoms may develop and how to report problems without assuming everyone has the same experience.
What a clinical trial can offer, what remains uncertain, how eligibility works and which questions to ask before deciding.
How to approach poor appetite, weight loss and eating difficulties during treatment, and when to ask for dietetic or urgent support.
Why consent is a discussion rather than just a signature, what should be explained and what to do if a treatment decision is unclear.
Why some treatment effects persist or appear later, how risks differ between treatments and what to discuss at follow-up.
What these terms say about cancer spread, why nearby lymph nodes differ from distant spread and why extent alone does not decide treatment.
An introduction to cancer of the food pipe, the information used to plan treatment and why swallowing and nutrition need attention.
Why cancer starting in the liver differs from cancer spreading there, and how tumour type, extent and liver function shape the treatment discussion.
What a second opinion can clarify, how to request one in the UK and why treatment timing and transfer of records need discussion.
A plain-language guide to cancer type, grade, margins, lymph nodes and biomarkers, and why a pathology report needs clinical interpretation.
Why more tests may be needed after diagnosis, how a treatment plan is discussed and what to ask at the next appointment.
How a tissue sample helps identify cancer, why scans may not answer the same question and what to check before and after a biopsy.
UK guidance on urgent treatment-related symptoms, using your oncology advice line and recognising situations that need 999 rather than a routine appointment.
Why blood results, side effects and other changes can alter a treatment schedule, and what to ask when a planned appointment changes.
How cancer-related fatigue differs from ordinary tiredness, what may contribute to it and practical questions to discuss with your clinical team.
Why finishing cancer treatment may not feel like an immediate return to normal, and when physical or emotional effects deserve further support.
Questions to consider before travelling during cancer treatment, including timing, infection, blood clots, medicines, insurance and when to ask your team.
What doctors mean when cancer recurs, the difference between local, regional and distant recurrence, and why recurrence is not the same as a new primary cancer.
What to expect after a course of radiotherapy, why some side effects peak later, how follow-up works and when to contact the treatment team.
An introduction to neuroendocrine tumours, where they arise, how NETs differ from neuroendocrine carcinomas and why the primary site and grade matter.
How a short walk or other manageable outdoor activity may help you stay active during cancer treatment, with practical safety considerations.
How international cancer conferences help specialists share research, compare practice and decide which ideas may be useful for patient care.
A clear explanation of what cancer stage and grade describe, why the systems vary, and why grade 4 does not automatically mean stage 4.
What common cancer response terms mean, how RECIST measurements are used, and why a scan category does not make a treatment decision by itself.
Why cancer follow-up differs by cancer type and treatment, when surveillance scans are useful, and why more frequent imaging is not automatically better.
How an MR-Linac combines MRI with radiotherapy, how online adaptation works, and why MR-guided treatment is useful only in selected situations.
How differentiation, grade, Ki-67 and stage describe different features of a neuroendocrine tumour, and why the primary site matters.
Why no evidence of disease, remission, complete response and cancer-free are related terms but do not all provide the same certainty about cure.
What pancreatic cancer resectability terms broadly mean, why nearby blood vessels matter, and why specialist MDT assessment is essential.
What a cancer prognosis can and cannot tell you, how population statistics differ from an individual outcome, and why estimates may change.
How a UK cancer multidisciplinary team reviews results, who may take part, and what happens before a treatment decision is agreed with the patient.
How doctors recognise that cancer treatment is no longer helping, what other options may be considered, and why care continues even when treatment changes.
How stereotactic ablative radiotherapy delivers a precise course in fewer treatments, when it may be considered, and why it is not suitable for everyone.
Why expected benefit, side effects, performance status, previous treatment and personal priorities may lead to no anti-cancer treatment being advised.
What ECOG or WHO performance status means, how the 0–4 scale describes daily function, and why it is only one part of a cancer treatment decision.
How to offer support when someone has cancer, listen without pressure, and leave room for ordinary life as well as difficult conversations.
Why some cancers can already be cured, why others remain difficult to treat, and what cure, remission and cancer control mean for an individual.
How radiotherapy teams assess tumour movement and use imaging, breath-hold, gating, tracking or treatment margins to target it accurately.
Why cancer can develop in people who have looked after their health, and why risk factors change probability rather than determine an individual outcome.
How physical activity may fit around cancer treatment, when exercise needs adapting, and which warning signs to discuss with your team.
How symptoms, examinations, blood tests and scans are combined to assess whether a cancer treatment is helping.
Why anxiety around cancer scans is common, what may help while waiting, and when to ask your clinical team for support.
Practical ways to live with uncertainty between cancer scans without allowing every day to become a countdown to the next result.
How palliative anti-cancer treatment differs from supportive care, specialist palliative care and end-of-life care.
What doctors mean by stable disease on a cancer scan, and why stable can still be a meaningful treatment result.
What to expect from radiotherapy consent, the planning CT, positioning and the clinical and technical checks before the first treatment.
Why cancer scans are scheduled at particular intervals, and how doctors balance useful information against the limits of scanning.
How cancer type, stage, grade, biomarkers, previous treatment, health, treatment aim and patient priorities shape an individual plan.
