Our research into screening and early diagnosis
Cancer screening saves lives. Thousands of women are alive today thanks to NHS breast and cervical cancer screening. And the new bowel cancer screening programme has the potential to save thousands more men and women.
Cancer Research UK funding has been instrumental in the development and evaluation of the current national screening programmes for breast and cervical cancers. And we're currently funding the evaluation of the new bowel screening programme.
We are also continuing to support UK researchers in their efforts to improve screening methods, and to develop new ones.
Our Screening Matters campaign to get more people into cancer screening was developed with the help of many of our cancer screening researchers.
Below are some of the highlights of our screening research portfolio.
On this page
Bladder cancer
Prof Gareth Williams
Cancer Research UK Chromosomal Replication Research Group
Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, London
Understanding how cells divide, and improving cancer treatment and detection
Based at the Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research in London, Professor Gareth Williams and his team are investigating how a group of proteins work together to allow DNA to be copied, a process called DNA replication. His research could also help to find new ways to diagnose cancers such as prostate and bladder cancer.
Bowel cancer
Prof Wendy Atkin
Cancer Research UK Colorectal Cancer Unit
Imperial College, London
Detecting and preventing bowel cancer
Professor Wendy Atkin, based at Imperial College in London, is a prominent bowel cancer researcher. Her research focuses on preventing the disease and detecting it early.
Prof Jack Cuzick
Cancer Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Mathematics and Statistics
Wolfson Institute, Barts and The London, Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry, London
Cancer prevention and screening
Professor Jack Cuzick runs the internationally renowned Centre for Epidemiology, Mathematics and Statistics at the Wolfson Institute in London. The department carries out a huge range of research on many different cancer types, and is concerned with cancer prevention and screening, especially for breast, cervical and bowel cancers.
Prof Peter Sasieni
Biostatistics and Cancer Epidemiology Group
Wolfson Institute, Barts and The London, Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry, London
Improving cancer screening
Professor Peter Sasieni is a respected researcher in the field of cancer screening. Based at the Wolfson Institute in London, he is helping to ensure that existing NHS cervical screening programme runs as efficiently as possible. He is also working to improve bowel screening for people at high risk of the disease. And he is director of a new clinical trials unit specialising in cancer screening and prevention.
Breast cancer
Prof Jack Cuzick
Cancer Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Mathematics and Statistics
Wolfson Institute, Barts and The London, Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry, London
Cancer prevention and screening
Professor Jack Cuzick runs the internationally renowned Centre for Epidemiology, Mathematics and Statistics at the Wolfson Institute in London. The department carries out a huge range of research on many different cancer types, and is concerned with cancer prevention and screening, especially for breast, cervical and bowel cancers.
Professor Ros Eeles
Section of Cancer Genetics
The Institute of Cancer Research, London
Studying prostate and breast cancer genes
Professor Ros Eeles at the Institute of Cancer Research in Sutton is studying prostate and breast cancer genetics. She is also involved in helping to evaluate the NHS breast screening programme, ensuring that the service continues to improve.
Cervical cancer
Prof Jack Cuzick
Cancer Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Mathematics and Statistics
Wolfson Institute, Barts and The London, Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry, London
Cancer prevention and screening
Professor Jack Cuzick runs the internationally renowned Centre for Epidemiology, Mathematics and Statistics at the Wolfson Institute in London. The department carries out a huge range of research on many different cancer types, and is concerned with cancer prevention and screening, especially for breast, cervical and bowel cancers.
Prof Julian Peto
Non-communicable Disease Epidemiology Unit
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London
Epidemiology, genes and cancer
Professor Julian Peto is the Chair of Epidemiology at The Institute of Cancer Research in Sutton, Surrey. His group conducts large population-based studies and genetic research into several cancers, including breast cancer, cervical cancer and mesothelioma.
Prof Peter Sasieni
Biostatistics and Cancer Epidemiology Group
Wolfson Institute, Barts and The London, Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry, London
Improving cancer screening
Professor Peter Sasieni is a respected researcher in the field of cancer screening. Based at the Wolfson Institute in London, he is helping to ensure that existing NHS cervical screening programme runs as efficiently as possible. He is also working to improve bowel screening for people at high risk of the disease. And he is director of a new clinical trials unit specialising in cancer screening and prevention.
Oesophageal cancer
Dr Rebecca Fitzgerald
MRC Cancer Cell Unit
University of Cambridge, Cambridge
Can a sponge help to prevent oesophageal cancer?
Dr Rebecca Fitzgerald from the University of Cambridge is leading a trial of a new screening test to detect a condition called Barrett’s oesophagus, which increases the risk of oesophageal (foodpipe) cancer. The new test could identify people who need treatment to remove any pre-cancerous cells, helping to prevent them from developing the disease in the first place.
Ovarian cancer
Prof Ian Jacobs
Department of Gynaecological Oncology
University College London, London
Screening for ovarian cancer
Professor Ian Jacobs and his team are testing ovarian cancer screening techniques to see which are most effective.
Prof Peter Sasieni
Biostatistics and Cancer Epidemiology Group
Wolfson Institute, Barts and The London, Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry, London
Improving cancer screening
Professor Peter Sasieni is a respected researcher in the field of cancer screening. Based at the Wolfson Institute in London, he is helping to ensure that existing NHS cervical screening programme runs as efficiently as possible. He is also working to improve bowel screening for people at high risk of the disease. And he is director of a new clinical trials unit specialising in cancer screening and prevention.
Prostate cancer
Prof David Neal
Oncology Department, Addenbrooke's Hospital
University of Cambridge, Cambridge
Better screening and treatment for prostate cancer
Professor David Neal is surgeon and a leading expert on prostate cancer. He and his colleagues in Cambridge are taking a number of different approaches in their work to beat this disease. A particular focus for the team is identifying better ways of distinguishing aggressive cancers from non-aggressive cancers in order to target treatment to the right group of men. Professor Neal is also investigating the genes involved in prostate and bladder cancer.
Prof Gareth Williams
Cancer Research UK Chromosomal Replication Research Group
Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, London
Understanding how cells divide, and improving cancer treatment and detection
Based at the Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research in London, Professor Gareth Williams and his team are investigating how a group of proteins work together to allow DNA to be copied, a process called DNA replication. His research could also help to find new ways to diagnose cancers such as prostate and bladder cancer.
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