Oncology News Today

06/01/2026

📰 NEWS: Bladder cancer may be caused by the body's response to a common virus, research suggests

Bladder cancer might be caused by our cell’s response to a common virus which infects nearly everyone in childhood, according to new research led by scientists at the University of York.

BK virus establishes a persistent and lifelong infection by hiding in the body, most commonly in the kidney. The dormant infection can reactivate during periods when the immune system is weakened, for example as we age.

The new evidence published in the journal Science Advances looked at BK infections of the “urothelium” – tissue that lines the bladder and upper urinary tract.

Read more: https://oncologynewstoday.co.uk/bladder-cancer-may-be-caused-by-the-bodys-response-to-a-common-virus-research-suggests/

Image: Dr Simon Baker. Credit: Kidney Research UK.

05/01/2026

📰 NEWS: Shorter radiotherapy treatments could improve quality of life for patients with advanced lung cancer

The effectiveness of shorter radiotherapy treatments in improving the quality of life for terminally ill lung cancer patients is being explored by University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust.

The first 23 of 37 patients have now been recruited for the ‘Shortened High-dose Palliative Radiotherapy for Lung Cancer’ (SHiP-Rt) study.

Read more: https://oncologynewstoday.co.uk/shorter-radiotherapy-treatments-could-improve-quality-of-life-for-patients-with-advanced-lung-cancer/

Image: Dr Raj Shrimali (right), Chief Investigator for the SHiP-Rt study, pictured with one of UHCW NHS Trust’s Elekta Versa HD linear accelerator systems, which provides high-quality radiation therapy for cancer patients, with (from left) Clinical Assistant Practitioner Sammie Kelly; Principal Clinical Scientist Matt Jones; Clinical Trial co-ordinator Mani Thind; Data Manager Jess Field; Research Radiographer Vicky Sturgess and Senior Research Treatment Sister Rachel Bazley

UHCW University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust

02/01/2026

📰 NEWS: Second state-of-the art radiotherapy machine delivered to The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre

The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre has taken delivery of a second Varian Halycon linear accelerator (linac) with Hypersight imaging, allowing even more patients to access to the latest technology in radiotherapy treatment.

Treatment times are faster on the Halcyon and the Hypersight imaging technology enhances the quality of images taken during treatment courses. Clinical teams can use these images to adjust treatment plans, potentially saving further planning scans and reducing delays to treatment.

Read more: https://oncologynewstoday.co.uk/second-state-of-the-art-radiotherapy-machine-delivered-to-clatterbridge-cancer-centre/

31/12/2025

📰 NEWS: Get A-Head charity funds innovative AI project to support head and neck cancer carers

UK head and neck cancer charity Get A-Head is teaming up with a group of researchers, carers and patients to create a vital bank of resources to support people in caring roles.

Read more: https://oncologynewstoday.co.uk/get-a-head-charity-funds-innovative-ai-project-to-support-head-and-neck-cancer-carers/

Pictured: Danni Heath, The Get A-Head Charitable Trust director

30/12/2025

📰 NEWS: New hope for re**al cancer patients after successful Clatterbridge research

Patients across the country diagnosed with re**al cancer can now be offered the chance to avoid surgery, following pioneering research by The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published new guidance recommending that fit patients with early-stage operable re**al cancer of less than 3cm in size can be offered a choice of non-surgical treatment, which includes an alternative therapy called Papillon, or surgery – with surgery being an option later if non-surgical treatment fails.

Read more: https://oncologynewstoday.co.uk/new-hope-for-re**al-cancer-patients-after-successful-clatterbridge-research/

Pictured: Professor Sun Myint, Consultant in Clinical Oncology at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre

29/12/2025

📰 NEWS: 'Ground-breaking' digital advance for mouth cancer patients

The Restorative Dentistry, Maxillofacial Surgery and Orthodontic team at the John Radcliffe Hospital has celebrated a major advance for patients needing reconstructive care for mouth cancer surgery, trauma and craniofacial conditions.

Read more: https://oncologynewstoday.co.uk/ground-breaking-digital-advance-for-mouth-cancer-patients/

Image: Patient Gregory Head cut the ribbon and described the new equipment as “ground-breaking”

24/12/2025

📰 NEWS: Ion robotic-assisted bronchoscopy could enable early lung cancer diagnosis, UK-first study finds

A UK-first study, carried out at Royal Brompton and St Bartholomew’s hospitals, has demonstrated that clinicians can safely and effectively reach and biopsy small nodules in difficult-to-access areas of the lung.

Read more here: https://oncologynewstoday.co.uk/ion-robotic-assisted-bronchoscopy-could-enable-early-lung-cancer-diagnosis-uk-first-study-finds/

Image: Professor Pallav Shah, Consultant Respiratory Physician at Royal Brompton Hospital, conducting a procedure on a patient using the Ion endoluminal system (Ion)

23/12/2025

📰 NEWS: ‘I’ve seen many mastectomies – but that didn’t prepare me for experiencing it’

A hospital theatre nurse found herself needing treatment from her colleagues after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

Read more: https://oncologynewstoday.co.uk/ive-seen-many-mastectomies-but-that-didnt-prepare-me-for-experiencing-it/

Pictured: Kerry Noble, theatre co-ordinator and senior sister at the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital

22/12/2025

📰 NEWS: GigaTIME AI tool advances cancer research and could unlock access to better treatment

A new AI tool developed by Microsoft Research – and covered in a new Cell paper – allows researchers to study the “neighbourhood” around tumours at a new scale, which is key to predicting how cancers behave and which treatments work best.

Read more here: https://oncologynewstoday.co.uk/gigatime-ai-tool-advances-cancer-research-and-could-unlock-access-to-better-treatment/

19/12/2025

📰 NEWS: The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust is the first hospital in the UK to recruit a patient to a new international surgical trial for prostate cancer.

The trial, sponsored by US company PROCEPT BioRobotics and supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), is investigating whether Aquablation therapy, a novel therapy using robotics, AI and real-time imaging compares favourably to traditional surgery, known as a radical prostatectomy.

🔗 Read more:

The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust is the first hospital in the UK to recruit a patient to a new international surgical trial for prostate cancer.

17/12/2025

📰 NEWS: Congratulations to Dr Jo Bird, nurse consultant at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Honorary Senior Lecturer, Division of Clinical Medicine, The University of Sheffield, who has been elected as President-Elect of the UK Oncology Nursing Society (UKONS).

Jo takes up the post with immediate effect. She will support incoming President Dr Mary Tanay (Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust) for a period of two years before becoming President herself from December 2027.

🔗 Read more:

Dr Jo Bird, nurse consultant at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Honorary Senior Lecturer, Division of Clinical Medicine, University of Sheffield, has been elected as President-Elect of the UK Oncology Nursing Society (UKONS).

16/12/2025

📰 NEWS: Congratulations to Clinical oncologist Dr Mark Gaze who has been named as the inaugural recipient of the prestigious Dr Audrey Evans Award.

Dr Mark Gaze, Consultant Clinical Oncologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital and Charity and UCLH - University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, has been named the first-ever recipient of the award, presented by children’s cancer charity Solving Kids' Cancer UK.

🔗 Read more:

Clinical oncologist Dr Mark Gaze has been announced as the inaugural recipient of the prestigious Dr Audrey Evans Award.