What's new

In October 2009 we relaunched CancerHelp UK. All the content is still here. We've just reorganised it so that you can find it more easily. We had to do this because the amount of content we have has grown by at least 4 times since we last redesigned in 2000.

All the development was done alongside consultation with our main groups of visitors – people who have cancer, relatives and friends and health professionals. There is a guide to our site in the help section.  Please do send us your feedback, telling us what you like and what you don't.

In May 2012, we added information about 

• Monitoring kidney cancer
• Radiofrequency treatment for kidney cancer
• Carboplatin and etoposide chemotherapy
• Vemurafenib (Zelboraf) biological therapy

In April 2012, we added information about 

• FCR combination treatment
• TC combination chemotherapy

In March 2012, we added information about 

• Exercises after breast reconstruction surgery using a simple implant or tissue expander implant
• Exercises after breast reconstruction surgery using muscle from your back
• Biological therapy for hairy cell leukaemia

In February 2012, we added information about 

• The chemotherapy drug teniposide (Vumon)

In January 2012, we added a section about other treatments, which includes information about

• Radiofrequency ablation (RFA)
• Laser treatment
• High frequency focused ultrasound (HIFU)
• Photodynamic therapy (PDT)
• Cryotherapy

We also added pages about rare types of neuroendocrine tumours (NETS), including

• Gastrinoma
• Glucagonoma
• Insulinoma
• VIPoma
• Somatostatinoma

In November 2011, we added information about

• Preserving fertility when you have breast cancer
• Having prostate cancer surgery

If there are any major developments, publications of guidance from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), or clinical guidelines, we amend the relevant sections on different types of cancer, and other relevant sections, at the time. As well as this ad hoc updating, CancerHelp UK sections are reviewed and updated every 12 to 18 months.

In May 2012, we updated the

• Kidney cancer section
• Mesothelioma section
• Penile cancer section

In April 2012, we updated the

• Myeloma section
• Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia section
• Ovarian cancer section
• Melanoma skin cancer section

In March 2012, we updated the

• Hairy cell leukaemia section

In February 2012, we updated the 

• Vulval cancer section
• Brain tumour section

In January 2012, we updated the

• Bladder cancer section
• Vaginal cancer section

In December 2011, we updated the 

• Eye cancer section

In October 2011, we updated the 

• Bowel cancer section
• Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia section
• Laryngeal cancer section

In March 2012, we updated the

• Sexuality and cancer section

In January 2012, we updated the 

• Coping with mouth problems section
• Glossary
• Biological therapy section
• Mortgages, pensions and insurance section

In December 2011, we updated the

• Cancer and sickness section (nausea)
• Cancer and pain control section
• About cancer section
• Ulcerating cancers section

In October 2011, we updated the

• Genes and inherited cancer risk section
• Spinal cord compression section
• Bone marrow and stem cell transplants section
• Aloe page in the complementary therapy section
• Ayurvedic medicine in the complementary therapy section

We are making every effort to extend and maintain our clinical trials database. This work is ongoing and by the end of April 2012 we had 435 trials listed that are open to patients in the UK. We aim to provide as comprehensive a listing of UK clinical trials in cancer care as we can. We would welcome your feedback on the clinical trials database. Click on 'feedback' at the top of any page and send us your views.

In April 2012 the following trials were added to our clinical trials database

• A trial looking at radiotherapy after surgery for people with non small cell lung cancer (LungART)
• A trial looking at surgery for people with kidney cancer that has spread (SURTIME) (EORTC 30073)
• A trial comparing azacitidine with usual treatment for older people with acute myeloid leukaemia
• A trial looking at everolimus and dovitinib for kidney cancer that has spread (DEVELOP)
• A study looking at quality of life of people with myeloma and follicular lymphoma
• A trial comparing docetaxel and ramucirumab to docetaxel alone for non small cell lung cancer that has come back
• A trial looking at everolimus and pasireotide for neuroendocrine tumours of the pancreas (COOPERATE 2)
• A study looking at increasing the dose of radiotherapy to areas of cancer inside the prostate gland (DELINEATE)
• A study for people with melanoma skin cancer to find out what made them go to the doctor
• A trial looking at dasatinib and gemcitabine for locally advanced cancer of the pancreas
• A study looking into helping with the challenges of returning to work as a cancer survivor (AT WORK)
• A trial comparing 2 ways of taking sunitinib for advanced kidney cancer (STAR)
• A trial of stem cell transplants using umbilical cord blood following high dose chemotherapy (MAC UCBT)
• A study looking at why people don’t take up the offer of bowel cancer screening (The ASCEND project)
• A study looking at improving assessment and treatment for older people with breast cancer or bowel cancer
• A trial of ADI-PEG 20 for advanced liver cancer
• A study looking at exercise to improve fitness after chemoradiotherapy for rectal cancer
• A study looking at giving pemetrexed at home for non small cell lung cancer

Below is a list of the most recent NHS guidance we have added to the site. NICE stands for National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. NICE look at the evidence on new treatments and procedures and publish guidelines for use on the NHS in England. The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) and the All Wales Medicines Strategy Group (AWMSG) are the equivalent bodies for advising the NHS in Scotland and Wales.

There is a page about NICE and what they do and a separate one about the SMC in our cancer treatment QandA section.

In May 2012, we added SMC guidance on

• Everolimus for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (pNET)
• Ipilimumab for advanced (unresectable or metastatic) melanoma in adults who have received prior therapy

And NICE guidance on

• Cabazitaxel for the second line treatment of hormone refractory, metastatic prostate cancer

In April 2012, we added NICE guidance on

• Eribulin for the treatment of advanced of metastatic breast cancer

In February 2012, we added AWMSG guidance on

• Abiraterone for advanced prostate cancer after docetaxel chemotherapy

And SMC guidance on

• Abiraterone for advanced prostate cancer after docetaxel chemotherapy

In January 2012, we added SMC guidance on

• Erlotinib as a first treatment for advanced non small cell lung cancer

And AWMSG guidance on

• Dasatinib as a first treatment for newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome positive (Ph+) chronic myelogenous leukaemia in the chronic phase

And NICE guidance on

• Fulvestrant for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer
• Panitumumab with chemotherapy for first line treatment of metastatic bowel cancer

In November 2011, we added SMC guidance on

• Cabazitaxel (Jevtana) for prostate cancer

We are able to answer your questions about cancer. You can ring Cancer Research UK's team of experienced cancer information nurses on freephone 0808 800 4040. If you prefer, you can send them a question about cancer by using our question form.  Please note, we cannot answer enquiries from overseas.

You can send us your views about our website via our feedback form.

Remember to include your email address in these forms. We have set up our feedback forms so that you can contact us anonymously, but if you want a personal reply you must type in your email address.

You can now search our questions and answers section. There are over 700 'questions and answers' to choose from....