Taking Control of Cancer

Episode 57: Breaking cancer news - May 2026

It's May 2026 and we are back with another news episode where we dissect the ways in which cancer is making the news. In this episode Steve and Femi look into a new quantitative ultrasound [https://www.emjreviews.com/oncology/news/ai-driven-ultrasound-predicts-breast-cancer-prognosis/] which enables accurate prediction of three-year survival in locally advanced breast cancer; a new AI-driven way [https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/apr/13/ai-bowel-cancer-patients-nhs-drug]of identifying how patients with advanced bowel cancer will respond to a drug that was recently introduced by the NHS [https://www.theguardian.com/society/nhs]; a new injectable form [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx214vld41ko] of a key cancer drug which could see thousands of NHS patients across the UK spending far less time in hospital; and they look at how Eastenders [https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/2026/eastenders-denise-blood-cancer-storyline] is covering a blood cancer story with the help of Blood Cancer UK. Let us know what you think! Please complete our short feedback form [https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=slTDN7CF9UeyIge0jXdO45CBntc4uLFNoSF0DlnQYBRUQUM3R0RIUDhQVTNYSVhBVjlSR0VTQkVCSC4u]to let us know what you think of our podcasts (it will only take five minutes to complete).

Episode 56: Launching our Health Inequalities Strategy

In the third and final episode of three special episodes recorded at Tower Hamlets Town Hall, host Steve Bland hears all about the new Health Inequalities Strategy, launched by the Alliance with support from the team at Claremont. Steve is joined by guests including Claremont managing director Ian Fannon; Caroline Cook, Early Diagnosis Programme Lead at the North East London Cancer Alliance and Mansi Tara, the Health Promotion Lead for Breast Screening for North, Central and East London. Read more about the Health Inequalities Strategy here: https://www.nelcanceralliance.nhs.uk/health-inequalities-strategy  Let us know what you think! Please complete our short feedback form [https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=slTDN7CF9UeyIge0jXdO45CBntc4uLFNoSF0DlnQYBRUQUM3R0RIUDhQVTNYSVhBVjlSR0VTQkVCSC4u]to let us know what you think of our podcasts (it will only take five minutes to complete).

Episode 55: Launching our Artificial Intelligence Strategy

In the second of our three special episodes recorded at Tower Hamlets Town Hall, host Steve Bland delves into the brand new AI and Digital Strategy launched by the North East London Cancer Alliance, with support from Pathfinder Intelligence. Steve chats to Wayne Douglas, formerly of the Alliance, George Hawkins and Sofija Venckute from Pathfinder and Dip Mukherjee, Consultant Upper GI & Laparoscopic Surgeon from BHRUT, about a strategy that lays out how AI can impact cancer care in North East London. We also hear from George's mum! Read more about the AI Strategy here: https://www.nelcanceralliance.nhs.uk/artificial-intelligence-strategy  Let us know what you think! Please complete our short feedback form [https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=slTDN7CF9UeyIge0jXdO45CBntc4uLFNoSF0DlnQYBRUQUM3R0RIUDhQVTNYSVhBVjlSR0VTQkVCSC4u]to let us know what you think of our podcasts (it will only take five minutes to complete).

Episode 54: Launching our Workforce Strategy

In the first of three episodes recorded at a special event at Tower Hamlets Town Hall, host Steve Bland explores the North East London Cancer Alliance's new Workforce Strategy with guests including Yvonne Beadle, Workforce Programme Manager at the North East London Cancer Alliance, and Alison Hill, the Director of Cancer and Palliative Care Nursing at Barts Health NHS Trust. With cancer services facing unprecedented demand and ongoing workforce challenges, this strategy sets out a clear, ambitious plan to support, grow, and sustain the cancer workforce across north east London. Listen to find out more! Read more about the Workforce Strategy here: https://www.nelcanceralliance.nhs.uk/our-workforce-strategy Let us know what you think! Please complete our short feedback form [https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=slTDN7CF9UeyIge0jXdO45CBntc4uLFNoSF0DlnQYBRUQUM3R0RIUDhQVTNYSVhBVjlSR0VTQkVCSC4u]to let us know what you think of our podcasts (it will only take five minutes to complete).

Episode 53: Breaking cancer news - April 2026

In this April 2026 news roundup episode, Steve Bland and Femi Odewale explore Bowel Cancer Awareness Month and the story of Joel, whose cancer was discovered after returning a bowel screening kit. Joel's encouraging others to do the same [https://www.nelcanceralliance.nhs.uk/news/i-had-no-symptoms-bowel-cancer-screening-saved-me], as is Olympian Iwan Thomas. Former 400m runner Iwan says "please don't die of ignorance" after being diagnosed with cancerous cells in his bowel after initially ignoring the routine tests. On bowel cancer, we also hear about the Bowelbabe Fund [https://www.bowelbabe.org/] hitting the magical £20m mark, almost four years after the death of Bowelbabe herself, Dame Deborah James. But that's not all. We also talk women's rugby and the BIG PINk WEEKEND [https://www.thepwr.com/news/premiership-womens-rugby-and-breast-cancer-now-launch-first-ever-big-pink-weekend] and a potentially life-saving blood test that could detect pancreatic cancer. Let us know what you think! Please complete our short feedback form [https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=slTDN7CF9UeyIge0jXdO45CBntc4uLFNoSF0DlnQYBRUQUM3R0RIUDhQVTNYSVhBVjlSR0VTQkVCSC4u]to let us know what you think of our podcasts (it will only take five minutes to complete).