The Cancer Awareness Measures (CAMs)

survey The Cancer Awareness Measure (CAM) is a validated set of questions designed to reliably assess cancer awareness. It was developed by Cancer Research UK, University College London, King’s College London and University of Oxford in 2007-8.

Since then a number of site specific measures have also been completed and include Breast, Colorectal/Bowel, Cervical, Lung and Ovarian CAMs. The measures were developed with the support of Breakthrough Breast Cancer, Breast Cancer Care, Cancer Research UK, Ovarian Cancer Action, The Eve Appeal, Ovacome, Target Ovarian Cancer and the Department of Health.

The CAM was used to benchmark levels of awareness in a national population-based survey towards the end of 2008 - see the CAM national baseline report for more information. A second national survey was carried out in 2010 and further wave is planned for 2012. The CAM is also being used to establish cancer awareness levels more locally across the country.

The Ovarian CAM has been implemented in the ‘Pathfinder study’.

The Cervical CAM has been used in a national survey as part of the Cervical Cancer Awareness and Symptoms Initiative (CCASI). A report of the findings is available on The Eve Appeal website.

The Colorectal/Bowel, Breast and Lung CAMs have been used in national surveys. Key results from the Colorectal/Bowel CAM have been published and findings from the Lung CAM will be published in the coming months.

A toolkit setting out all the information needed to use the CAM has been developed. To download the toolkit, click here.

The toolkit contains: