Taking Control of Cancer

In this episode host Steve Bland and guests explore a lesser known cancer that impacts thousands of people each year in England. Around 6,000 people each year in England are diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer, but because symptoms can be vague or mistaken for other conditions, diagnosis is often delayed, making awareness among both patients and healthcare professionals vital.

Steve is joined by Cathy Bouvier-Ellis, CEO and Co-Founder of Neuroendocrine Cancer UK, along with Jane Aylott, a patient sharing her lived experience, and Sarita Yaganti, Programme Lead for Personalised Cancer Care at the North East London Cancer Alliance, to discuss the challenges of diagnosing neuroendocrine cancer, the signs and symptoms to look out for, treatment options available, and the importance of connecting patients with specialist support networks.

Whether you are a patient, carer, or healthcare professional, this conversation sheds light on why early recognition matters and how support can make a huge difference for patients with neuroendocrine cancer.
 
Key facts and stats
·      Around 6,000 people are diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) each year in the UK.
·      NETs account for about 1–2% of all cancers, but incidence has been increasing over the past two decades.
·      Many patients experience delays of 5–7 years on average before receiving an accurate diagnosis.
·      Common sites include the gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, and lungs.



What is Taking Control of Cancer?

Welcome to Taking Control of Cancer, the podcast from the North East London Cancer Alliance. Think of us as your ‘how to’ guide when it comes to busting common cancer myths, overcoming fears and barriers, and improving cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care.

This series aims to provide both patients and healthcare professionals with tangible things they can do to help when it comes to cancer. Whilst we know not all cancers are preventable, there are things we can all do that could make a positive difference to the health and wellbeing of our family, friends and colleagues.

There are two underlying themes across all episodes – the importance of early diagnosis, and reducing health inequalities.

Host:
Steve Bland is an award-winning podcaster and producer and one of the three presenters of the BBC podcast You, Me and the Big C, which was set up by his first wife - BBC presenter Rachael Bland - before her death from triple negative breast cancer in 2018.

Regular guests:
Dr Angela Wong, Chief Medical Officer, North East London Cancer Alliance:
Angela is a driving force behind improving cancer diagnostics for residents across north east London. As Chief Medical Officer for the North East London Cancer Alliance, Angela works tirelessly on delivering innovation and service improvements for cancer patients.

Femi Odewale, Managing Director, North East London Cancer Alliance:
Femi leads the programme teams from the North East London Cancer Alliance across three core areas of work: Early Diagnosis, Diagnosis and Treatment, and Personalised Care.