Cancer Survivorship

What we do  

Our research focuses on the health and wellbeing of people who are living with, through and beyond a cancer diagnosis.  It also recognises the impact of cancer on family members, friends and caregivers. Cancer survivorship research includes: understanding the experiences and outcomes that are most important to people with cancer; developing patient-reported outcome measures; identifying ways to improve quality of life, health and wellbeing during and after cancer treatment; elucidating the factors that contribute to poor outcomes and reduced quality of life; and developing effective interventions to improve experiences and outcomes. 

Why it is important 

Cancer survival in the UK has doubled over the last 40 years.  However, this means that more and more people live with the after effects of cancer and its treatment.  It is estimated that 4 million people will be living with (or after) cancer by 2030.  Supporting people to live with and beyond cancer is a major focus of the NHS Long Term Plan for Cancer. The National Cancer Research Initiative has recently published Cancer Research Priorities for Living With and Beyond Cancer, which demonstrate the importance of cancer survivorship research.  

A cancer diagnosis is life-changing for the person and their family. Cancer brings many uncertainties and worries about the future, as well as physical and functional changes that can have a profound impact on life.  Patients with cancer have to undergo tough treatments, experiencing side-effects that they may have to live with for a long time. Our research helps to ensure that people are better prepared for the challenges of living with cancer.  It informs and supports patient-centred survivorship care and individualised follow-up after treatment.    

Summary of current research 

Cancer survivorship is a broad area of research, which stretches across many disciplines and tumour groups.  Our work focusses primarily on understanding the impact of treatment and recovery through the use of patient-reported outcomes, and on developing interventions to improve functional and psychosocial outcomes and quality of life. We work with researchers in many other research groups within the Department (see related Centres). Our core group members are mainly working on cancer survivorship in patients with upper gastrointestinal, breast, brain and head and neck cancers.