Skip navigation

The Cancer Awareness Measures (CAMs)

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, 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 in the National Cancer Awareness Survey towards the end of 2008 - see the CAM national baseline report for more information. It is now 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 CAMs are now being used to establish cancer awareness levels more locally across the country.

Interested in using a Cancer Awareness Measure?

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

The toolkit contains:

  • Terms of use
  • Background information and instructions
  • Information sheet and consent form
  • The Cancer Awareness Measure (CAM) Generic/Bowel/Lung CAM
  • Demographics questionnaire
  • Recruitment record 
  • Script
  • Answer sheet
  • Coding sheet
  • How to access and deposit CAM data
  • Flexibility in using the CAM
  • Sampling
  • Glossary