World Cancer Day 2015
Today is World Cancer Day, an international day to raise awareness of cancer and highlight advances in prevention, early detection, treatment and care.
The latest statistics from Cancer Research UK (CRUK) show that in the UK we diagnose over 330,000 cases of cancer each year (this does not include secondary cancers or recurrences).
With nearly 160,000 cancer associated deaths each year, the biggest killer is lung cancer followed by bowel, breast and prostate cancers; other cancers are responsible for 54% of deaths each year.
Those who read the Metro this morning may have noticed an article in which CRUK are predicting that half of people born after 1960 will contract the disease at some point in their life, and the number of cases is expected to increase as people are living longer.
CRUK highlights the need to plan ahead to ensure that the NHS is fit to cope with this growing burden, so that recent advances in cancer outcomes are not reversed.
As with many diseases, early diagnosis can be critical to effective treatment and care, cancer is especially time critical with efficacy of treatment significantly increased if applied early.
At Viapath we have a fully integrated cancer diagnostics service, providing state of the art diagnostic tests and techniques to our founding NHS Foundation Trusts and other NHS Trusts and clinics across the country.
Our founding partners at Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Trust (GSTT) run the largest NHS cancer service in London, and one of the largest in the country. The addition of the new integrated Cancer Centre at Guy’s Hospital in late 2016 will make the GSTT a regional hub for cancer care and a true centre of excellence offering fully integrated care.
As the pathology services provider to GSTT, we work closely with our partners at the trust providing a cutting-edge service to ensure that our patients receive timely, accurate and effective diagnoses to better inform treatments and ultimately improving outcomes for patients.
Our Cancer Specialist Diagnostic Service offers a comprehensive diagnostic provision for both solid and haematological cancers comprising:
• Cellular pathology (histology and cytopathology)
• Haematology
• Flow Cytometry
• Oncology Cytogenetics
• Molecular Oncology
• Pharmacodynamics
Our unique department boasts one of the largest repertoires of tests available in the UK and we are constantly innovating, through our onsite clinical research teams and bioinformaticians, as well as involvement in key programmes such as the 100,000 Genome project, we are developing the next generation of diagnostic tests to support the care of cancer patients now and in the future.
Further information
Cancer Specialist Diagnostic Service
