Cancer

Mouth Cancer

Mouth cancer can develop on the lips, tongue, gums, and cheeks

Three signs and symptoms that should not be ignored are:

  • ulcers which don’t heal after three weeks
  • red and white patches in the mouth
  • unusual lumps or swellings in the mouth or throat

46% of oral cavity cancer cases in the UK are preventable, and 78% of cases occur in people age 55.

1 in 55 UK males and 1 in 108 UK females will be diagnosed with oral cancer in their lifetime. Insufficient fruit and vegetables intake is linked to an estimated 56% of oral cancer cases.

Mouth cancer is twice as common in men than women, though the number of women diagnosed with mouth cancer is on the rise. More people in the UK die each year of mouth cancer than of cervical and testicular cancer combined.

Early diagnosis saves lives- see your GP or dentist if you have any of the symptoms of mouth cancer.

Cancer Referral Information

From 1 October 2023, cancer waiting time standards are being modernised and simplified, moving to three measures:

  • 28-day Faster Diagnosis Standard – diagnosis or ruling out of cancer within 28 days of referral (target 75%)
  • 31-day Treatment Standard – a first treatment within a month of decision to treat for all cancer patients (target 96%)
  • 62-day Treatment Standard – a first treatment within two months of referral or consultant upgrade (target 85%)

There will be no change to how GPs refer patients onto a suspected cancer pathway. All changes will be made in the reporting of the standard. The changes will allow more focus on outcomes not processes and encourage modern cancer diagnostic practices like one-stop-shops, remote image review, and straight-to-test.

The Faster Diagnosis Standard target will increase gradually to 80% by 2026.

Early Cancer Diagnosis

Different types of cancer have different symptoms. These symptoms can be caused by things other than cancer. But if you experience any of the symptoms listed below, or any other unusual symptoms, you should see your GP as soon as possible. You are not wasting your GP’s time by getting your symptoms checked.

Telephone: 0808 808 00 00

Website: www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support

The National Cancer Patient Experience

The National Cancer Patient Experience survey allows cancer patients to give feedback on the care they have received. This feedback is used to understand where care is working well and how NHS cancer services across England can be improved. Results from the survey are used by providers to improve the experience of cancer patients at a national, regional, and local level. The survey is run by Picker on behalf of NHS England. Click below to take part:

Website: www.ncpes.co.uk

Carers Bucks

Our local organisation that provides great support for all Carers in our locality.

Email: mail@carersbucks.org

Telephone: 0300 777 2722

Website: www.carersbucks.org

Cervical Cancer

Don’t ignore your cervical screening invite.

Call your GP practice to book an appointment as soon as possible.

The NHS invites all women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 64 for cervical screening every three to five years.

Cervical screening prevents deaths from cervical cancer and saves thousands of lives each year.

Radiotherapy

This initiative, which is overseen by a Steering Group, comprises healthcare professionals, Macmillan representatives, and patient representatives. The service aims to provide care and support for cancer patients and their carers within the OUH NHS Trust catchment area (Oxon, Bucks, and Wilts) who develop physical and psychological symptoms as a result of radiotherapy.

A pivotal part in the development of this service is to listen to and consider the patient voice from within our local communities, to ensure that from their perspective the proposed service is accessible and meets the needs of those affected by radiotherapy late effects.

Using personal experience and knowledge, it is expected that the patient representatives will provide advice on how the service is developed, constructively challenging the thinking of the Steering Group.

The Less Survivable Six Cancers

Do you know the less survivable six?

Brain, liver, lung, oesophageal, pancreatic, and stomach cancers are the six less survivable common cancers.

They are responsible for almost half of all cancer deaths and make up a quarter of cancer cases each year in the UK.


Only 16% of people diagnosed with a less survivable cancer will survive for five years. We’re urging everyone to be aware of the symptoms of these potentially deadly cancers and to seek advice from your GP surgery as soon as possible if they recognise any of the signs.

Please see below more information

NHS Links

There is a wealth of information on the NHS website about carers and caring. Below are some links into the site that we hope you will find useful.

Gynae Cancers

With more than 22,000 UK cases and almost 8,000 deaths every year, we want people to be more aware of the symptoms and risks of gynaecological cancers.

For more information, please see below:

Bowel Cancer

Research has confirmed that 4 in 10 adults in the Thames Valley region can’t name a single symptom of bowel cancer –the UK’s second biggest cancer killer.

We support the work of Bowel Cancer UK to ensure that more adults are aware of the five main symptoms of a disease:

  • bleeding from your bottom and/or blood in your poo
  • changes in your bowel habits –eg constipation or diarrhoea –that continue and can’t be explained
  • unexplained sudden weight loss
  • extreme tiredness for no obvious reason
  • a pain or lump in your tummy

Having close relatives who have had bowel cancer may also increase your risk.
So, watch out for the five symptoms and do –and return –your screening kit if you receive one through the post.

43,000 UK adults are diagnosed each year, and between 2018-2020, more than 6,500 people Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and West Berkshire received the news that they had the condition.

Anyone who has any of the five key symptoms for more than three weeks should contact their GP surgery for advice.

  • For videos and more information on websites please see click here – Bowel Cancer

Cancer Care Reviews

Why do we offer these to cancer patients at Westongrove?

A Cancer Care Review (CCR) is a conversation between a patient and a Health or Social Care professional about their experience with cancer. 

It is essential to personalised care and helps patients to:

  • talk about their cancer experience and concerns.
  • understand what support is available in their community.
  • receive the information they need to begin supported self-management.


Please click the link to the youtube video to hear of patient experiences

We will send you a questionnaire usually via your phone to help you prepare for the appointment.

Please contact your surgery if you are having trouble with the questionnaire.

Carers UK

They’re here to make sure that no matter how complicated your query or your experience, you don’t have to care alone.

Telephone: 020 7378 4999
Website: www.carersuk.org

Prostate Cancer

Men with an increased risk of prostate cancer are aged 50+ or whose father/brother has had prostate cancer or black men aged 45+.

More than 12,000 men die from Prostate cancer each year in the UK
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK- but early diagnosis saves lives.

Early Prostate cancer often has no symptoms, but difficulty peeing can be a sign – get your self checked out by a GP.

A GP can discuss with you if you need a blood test called a PSA test.

Prostate Cancer is survivable if caught and treated early enough – early diagnosis saves lives:

Support Websites for Cancer

For more information and support please visit the below websites:

Skin Cancer

There are two main types of skin cancer and almost 173,000 cases [CRUK and CRUK] are diagnosed each year.
Since the early 1990s, rates of both types of skin cancer have more than doubled [CRUK]

Reducing the number of skin cancers rather than having to treat them, even if diagnosed early, is better for everyone.

For more information please see below: