Latest news with #StephenPowis
Sky News
14-07-2025
- Health
- Sky News
We are entering 'golden age' of cancer treatment - and also facing a less gilded era too
A friend of mine was recently diagnosed with a melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer that had spread throughout their body, including their brain. Even a decade ago, their cancer would have been essentially incurable and rapidly fatal. My friend's tumours however are shrinking as their immune system attacks the cancer cells wherever they happen to be in their body. A treatment called immunotherapy is directing their own immune system to find and attack cancer cells in all the parts of the body to which they have spread. It's a familiar story across multiple cancer types with new classes of treatment, often based on rapid advances in understanding of the genetics of cancer - or cancer patients themselves. So the outgoing medical director of the NHS, Sir Stephen Powis, is not wrong: we are entering a "golden era" of cancer treatment, if we're not living in it already. Cancer treatment is becoming increasingly personalised to the specific mutations in the cancer itself. Oncologists know their enemy in more intimate detail than ever before. Tools like AI can sift through that detail to identify new vulnerabilities in cancer cells and techniques like gene editing allow scientists to design previously impossible new ways of exploiting them to slow, or reverse the spread of cancers. But we're entering a parallel and less gilded era too. Cancer is primarily a disease of ageing and our population is doing that rapidly. 1:09 It is also more common in those who eat and drink too much and exercise little - which is most of us - and explains why cancer rates are now, perhaps for the first time in human history, increasing in younger people too. As Sir Stephen points out, prevention must play an important role in reducing that increasing burden. It already has for some: smoking-related lung cancer is declining, so too is cervical cancer thanks to HPV vaccination in schools. But the bulk of cancers linked to poor diet, poor air quality, or poverty in general are not. We're also failing to make sure everybody benefits from the incredible new treatments available and those yet to come. While people are now getting cancer diagnosed faster in the NHS, many start treatment too late. More than 30% of patients wait more than two months to see a cancer specialist following an "urgent" referral from their GP (well below the NHS target that has not been met since it was introduced in 2015). 1:56 Cancer survival is increasing, but so too is the disparity between those benefitting from the latest treatments and those who aren't. Specialist treatment in some parts of the UK is far better than in others - often those in poorer places where cancer rates are higher. And the latest, and best, cancer treatments - which are largely bespoke-tailored to the patient's needs - are increasingly expensive. Affording these has always been a challenge for the NHS and will only get harder. While the golden era unfolds, much must be done to avoid another in which cancer treatment becomes a two, or even three, tier service that offers the best only to a few.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
We are entering 'golden age' of cancer treatment - but not everybody is benefitting
A friend of mine was recently diagnosed with a melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer that had spread throughout their body, including their brain. Even a decade ago, their cancer would have been essentially incurable and rapidly fatal. My friend's tumours however are shrinking as their immune system attacks the cancer cells wherever they happen to be in their body. A treatment called immunotherapy is directing their own immune system to find and attack cancer cells in all the parts of the body to which they have spread. It's a familiar story across multiple cancer types with new classes of treatment, often based on rapid advances in understanding of the genetics of cancer - or cancer patients themselves. So the outgoing medical director of the NHS, Sir Stephen Powis, is not wrong: we are entering a "golden era" of cancer treatment, if we're not living in it already. Cancer treatment is becoming increasingly personalised to the specific mutations in the cancer itself. Oncologists know their enemy in more intimate detail than ever before. Tools like AI can sift through that detail to identify new vulnerabilities in cancer cells and techniques like gene editing allow scientists to design previously impossible new ways of exploiting them to slow, or reverse the spread of cancers. But we're entering a parallel and less gilded era too. Cancer is primarily a disease of ageing and our population is doing that rapidly. It is also more common in those who eat and drink too much and exercise little - which is most of us - and explains why cancer rates are now, perhaps for the first time in human history, increasing in younger people too. As Sir Stephen points out, prevention must play an important role in reducing that increasing burden. It already has for some: smoking-related lung cancer is declining, so too is cervical cancer thanks to HPV vaccination in schools. But the bulk of cancers linked to poor diet, poor air quality, or poverty in general are not. Read more from Sky News: We're also failing to make sure everybody benefits from the incredible new treatments available and those yet to come. While people are now getting cancer diagnosed faster in the NHS, many start treatment too late. More than 30% of patients wait more than two months to see a cancer specialist following an "urgent" referral from their GP (well below the NHS target that has not been met since it was introduced in 2015). Cancer survival is increasing, but so too is the disparity between those benefitting from the latest treatments and those who aren't. Specialist treatment in some parts of the UK is far better than in others - often those in poorer places where cancer rates are higher. And the latest, and best, cancer treatments - which are largely bespoke-tailored to the patient's needs - are increasingly expensive. Affording these has always been a challenge for the NHS and will only get harder. While the golden era unfolds, much must be done to avoid another in which cancer treatment becomes a two, or even three, tier service that offers the best only to a few.
Sky News
14-07-2025
- Health
- Sky News
We are entering 'golden age' of cancer treatment - but not everybody is benefitting
A friend of mine was recently diagnosed with a melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer that had spread throughout their body, including their brain. Even a decade ago, their cancer would have been essentially incurable and rapidly fatal. My friend's tumours however are shrinking as their immune system attacks the cancer cells wherever they happen to be in their body. A treatment called immunotherapy is directing their own immune system to find and attack cancer cells in all the parts of the body to which they have spread. It's a familiar story across multiple cancer types with new classes of treatment, often based on rapid advances in understanding of the genetics of cancer - or cancer patients themselves. So the outgoing medical director of the NHS, Sir Stephen Powis, is not wrong: we are entering a "golden era" of cancer treatment, if we're not living in it already. Cancer treatment is becoming increasingly personalised to the specific mutations in the cancer itself. Oncologists know their enemy in more intimate detail than ever before. Tools like AI can sift through that detail to identify new vulnerabilities in cancer cells and techniques like gene editing allow scientists to design previously impossible new ways of exploiting them to slow, or reverse the spread of cancers. But we're entering a parallel and less gilded era too. Cancer is primarily a disease of ageing and our population is doing that rapidly. 1:09 It is also more common in those who eat and drink too much and exercise little - which is most of us - and explains why cancer rates are now, perhaps for the first time in human history, increasing in younger people too. As Sir Stephen points out, prevention must play an important role in reducing that increasing burden. It already has for some: smoking-related lung cancer is declining, so too is cervical cancer thanks to HPV vaccination in schools. But the bulk of cancers linked to poor diet, poor air quality, or poverty in general are not. We're also failing to make sure everybody benefits from the incredible new treatments available and those yet to come. While people are now getting cancer diagnosed faster in the NHS, many start treatment too late. More than 30% of patients wait more than two months to see a cancer specialist following an "urgent" referral from their GP (well below the NHS target that has not been met since it was introduced in 2015). 1:56 Cancer survival is increasing, but so too is the disparity between those benefitting from the latest treatments and those who aren't. Specialist treatment in some parts of the UK is far better than in others - often those in poorer places where cancer rates are higher. And the latest, and best, cancer treatments - which are largely bespoke-tailored to the patient's needs - are increasingly expensive. Affording these has always been a challenge for the NHS and will only get harder. While the golden era unfolds, much must be done to avoid another in which cancer treatment becomes a two, or even three, tier service that offers the best only to a few.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Many cancers no longer 'a death sentence' as treatment on 'cusp of golden era', NHS England medical director says
Many people with a cancer diagnosis "should be confident that it's not a death sentence and that more treatments will become available", according to the outgoing medical director of NHS England. In his final interview before retiring, Professor Sir Stephen Powis said our understanding of the genetics of cancer and how it can be targeted is being "revolutionised". Sir Stephen, 64 and a kidney specialist who has been the national medical director since 2018 and throughout the pandemic, : "We are at the cusp of a golden era in terms of the way we treat a range of cancers. "For many cancers now, people should be confident that it's not a death sentence and that more treatments will become available." Read more: Sir Stephen said the number of those living longer with the disease and surviving it will continue to increase, while he compared the progress made in cancer treatment to the success in developing treatment for HIV since he qualified as a doctor 40 years ago. He also spoke of how preventing cancers could also help eliminate certain types of them. "We can't prevent all cancers, but there are cancers that we can certainly prevent," he said, adding that he hopes lung cancers will become "a lot rarer". Cancer treatment, he said, would be "driven by genetics" to become more individualised with the increased ability to pinpoint mutations in cells. shows that in nearly half of 147 NHS trusts with available data fewer people are now being treated for cancer within the target than at the start of the year. That target is for 85% of cancer patients to begin treatment within two months of their diagnosis. Only a small number of trusts have achieved this. While 20 trusts met the standard in January, it is down to 15 trusts in May. Performance against the target fell in 62 areas overall between Jan and May, and none of those were meeting the target to begin with. In response to the analysis, an spokesperson said: "Despite the NHS seeing and treating record numbers of people for cancer... we know there is more to do to improve early diagnosis, access to tests and life-saving treatments. "Our 10 Year Health Plan launched last week sets out some of the ways we will transform cancer care to be fit for the future, including innovation to speed up referral and diagnosis, with more to follow in the National Cancer Plan coming later this year."
Sky News
14-07-2025
- Health
- Sky News
Many cancers no longer 'a death sentence' as treatment on 'cusp of golden era', NHS England medical director says
Many people with a cancer diagnosis "should be confident that it's not a death sentence and that more treatments will become available", according to the outgoing medical director of NHS England. In his final interview before retiring, Professor Sir Stephen Powis said our understanding of the genetics of cancer and how it can be targeted is being "revolutionised". Sir Stephen, 64 and a kidney specialist who has been the national medical director since 2018 and throughout the COVID pandemic, told The Times: "We are at the cusp of a golden era in terms of the way we treat a range of cancers. "For many cancers now, people should be confident that it's not a death sentence and that more treatments will become available." Sir Stephen said the number of those living longer with the disease and surviving it will continue to increase, while he compared the progress made in cancer treatment to the success in developing treatment for HIV since he qualified as a doctor 40 years ago. He also spoke of how preventing cancers could also help eliminate certain types of them. "We can't prevent all cancers, but there are cancers that we can certainly prevent," he said, adding that he hopes lung cancers will become "a lot rarer". Cancer treatment, he said, would be "driven by genetics" to become more individualised with the increased ability to pinpoint mutations in cells. Recent Sky News analysis shows that in nearly half of 147 NHS trusts with available data fewer people are now being treated for cancer within the target than at the start of the year. That target is for 85% of cancer patients to begin treatment within two months of their diagnosis. Only a small number of trusts have achieved this. While 20 trusts met the standard in January, it is down to 15 trusts in May. Performance against the target fell in 62 areas overall between Jan and May, and none of those were meeting the target to begin with. In response to the analysis, an NHS spokesperson said: "Despite the NHS seeing and treating record numbers of people for cancer... we know there is more to do to improve early diagnosis, access to tests and life-saving treatments. "Our 10 Year Health Plan launched last week sets out some of the ways we will transform cancer care to be fit for the future, including innovation to speed up referral and diagnosis, with more to follow in the National Cancer Plan coming later this year."
