Macmillan's Cancer Information Blog

Help with childcare when you have cancer

2023-11-21T12:19:00Z

Having a cancer diagnosis can be hard enough, and if you have young children it can be a further worry as you may need extra support to look after them. This blog may give you some ideas of how you can get help with childcare. (read more)

Planning ahead when living with cancer

2023-09-14T10:00:00Z

Planning ahead can be hard. But it can help you to talk with your healthcare team, family or friends about what matters to you. It can help everyone to understand the care, treatment and support you want for your future. And it can also be a way of taking back control, at a time when so many things feel uncertain.

Hospice UK’s Dying Matters campaign puts it well: Talking about it won’t bring death closer, but it will give you more time to get everything sorted.

What do we mean by planning ahead?

Our previous blog explains how to record your wishes for future treatment in an advance care plan. But you may also want to think about:

who to leave your possessions to in your will
who you want to care for your children or pets
who should make decisions about your care or finances, if you are not able to
when you might want to refuse treatment
your funeral service – where should it be held, who should lead it, and what music or words you want to include
whether you want to donate any organs or tissues after death.

Not just for the end of life

When we came to update this information (something we do every few years), we renamed it Planning ahead when living with cancer.

The booklet used to be called Planning ahead for end of life. But when we revised this information, healthcare professionals told us that planning ahead was not just for those at the end of life – it can be helpful to do at any stage of a cancer diagnosis. It is also helpful for anyone to do, whether they have cancer or not. They felt this title was off-putting and told us that they didn’t like giving out the information to people with cancer.

The booklet breaks down each big decision into a series of easy steps, and explains who can help you with each one – whether that’s a Macmillan service, healthcare professionals, a support organisation or someone close to you.

And at the back of the booklet we include a checklist to work through, and template forms to help you organise and record your wishes. You don’t have to read the whole thing in one go – and if you prefer, you can read all our planning ahead information online.

Planning ahead around the UK

Some of the laws and processes involved are different depending on where you live in the UK. So there are different versions of the booklet for:

Scotland
England and Wales
Northern Ireland: look out for Your life and your choices: plan ahead.

If you want to speak to a Macmillan adviser about your feelings, treatment or money, give our helpline a call on 0808 808 00 00. Our support line has access to an interpretation service to speak to someone in your language, including BSL. When you call, start the conversation by requesting your language first in English.

And remember that the Online Community, including the forum for people with incurable cancer and the supporting someone with incurable cancer forum is open 24/7.

Tips for supporting a loved one with cancer

2023-09-08T10:30:00Z

When someone you love is diagnosed with cancer, it can be difficult to know how to support them.

They may need emotional support if they feel overwhelmed or anxious, or they may need practical help with managing things like appointments, work and childcare. Sometimes, they may need help with both.

It’s important that you look after yourself too. There are many places you can get information and support for looking after a loved one – you might find the following tips and links useful.

Talking and listening

Simply being there to listen and offer comfort can be a great support to your friend, family member or partner:

choose a quiet place to talk where you won’t be interrupted
acknowledge their feelings but try not to say that everything will be fine, as this can feel dismissive or like you’re not listening to them
allow them to express themselves – if they cry or get distressed, give them some time to process how they are feeling.
It’s ok not to have all the answers – just listening can be enough
it’s usually best to avoid telling them about other people’s experiences with cancer that you may have heard about. Every situation is different, and they will get the information they need from their healthcare team
give them as much time as they need, but it can also be helpful to set a limit and to do something nice together afterwards. Talking can be tiring and emotionally draining – for you both
if they don’t want to talk, let them know that this is ok. They might not feel ready, or it might not be helpful for them.

Practical support

Offering practical support to someone with cancer can help them feel more in control, and able to focus on what is important to them.

Talk to the person you’re supporting and try to identify where they might need help, and what kind of impact their treatment could have. This will vary for everybody, but these are some things you could offer to do:

help them get to appointments – you could drive them, travel with them, or help them work out the route if it’s somewhere unfamiliar
do some everyday tasks such as cleaning, washing, vacuuming and cooking
look after any children, other people they care for, or pets while they are at appointments or resting
help with personal care like bathing, washing their hair, cutting their nails, changing dressings, managing their medicines or helping them do exercises
help them to plan their day
socialise and spend time with them if they would like company.

There are healthcare professionals and organisations that can help with looking after someone with cancer, including:

a social worker, who can assess what help may be needed
an occupational therapist, who can help with aids and equipment in the home
sitting and befriending services provided by various charities
meals at home (meals on wheels)
laundry services.

You can find out more about these resources in our booklet, Looking after someone with cancer.

Are you a carer?

If you give any unpaid help or support or care to someone who could not manage without it, you are a carer. You can find more information about being a carer and getting support as a carer for someone with cancer on our website.

Looking after yourself

Supporting someone with cancer can be emotionally and physically exhausting, and it’s important to take care of yourself too. This will help you to support your loved one in the best way you can.

You may find you need time off from caring for someone, to give yourself a break. This is called respite care. Respite care includes things like:

sitting services
day centres
short stays in a hospice, hospital or care home.

To get respite care, you can ask social services for an assessment of your needs. This is called a carer’s assessment.

Further information

You might also find these web pages useful:

Getting support as a carer (Macmillan)

Carers allowance (Macmillan)

Cancer and dementia (Macmillan)

If the person you care for is dying (Macmillan)

The Respite Association – a charity providing short-term help for carers by funding respite care.

Carers Trust – a charity offering support, information, advice and services for people caring for a family member or friend.

Carers UK – a charity providing information and support to carers across the UK. They have an online forum and can put people in contact with local support groups for carers.

You can also contact the Macmillan Support Line on 0808 808 00 00. The line is open 7 days a week, 8am-8pm. Our support line has access to an interpretation service to speak to someone in your language, including BSL. When you call, start the conversation by requesting your language first in English.

Complementary therapies – what are they and are they safe?

2023-08-30T11:00:00Z

Some people with cancer choose to use complementary therapies as well as conventional cancer treatment. Complementary therapies may help people feel better and help them cope with cancer symptoms or the side effects of treatment. They do not claim to treat cancer. Complementary therapies are different to alternative therapies. Alternative therapies are used instead of conventional medical treatments and some claim to treat the cancer. However, they have not been scientifically proven to cure ca...(read more)

Blood cancer awareness

2023-08-18T15:34:45Z

September is Blood Cancer Awareness month. In this blog you can find out about the 3 main types of blood cancer (leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma) and the symptoms to be aware of.

To understand blood cancers, it helps to know a little about how the blood and blood cells work. Blood is made up of different types of blood cells:

Red blood cells carry oxygen from our lungs to the rest of our bodies.
White blood cells fight and prevent infection.
Platelets help blood to clot when we get injured.
Plasma is a fluid that has nutrients and waste products.

Blood cells are made in the bone marrow. This is the spongy material found inside our bones. The bone marrow usually makes billions of new blood cells every day to replace old and worn-out ones. Blood cancer happens when something goes wrong, and the blood cells do not develop properly.

There are different types of blood cancer. They can affect your blood, bone marrow or lymphatic system. The lymphatic system helps to protect us from infection and disease and drains fluid from the body’s tissues.

Find out about the different ways you can help Macmillan to raise awareness and funds to support people living with blood cancer.

What is Leukaemia?

Leukaemia is a cancer of the white blood cells. Leukaemia can be fast growing, known as acute leukaemia. When it is acute, the symptoms may appear very quickly over a few weeks and people may feel ill quite quickly. The most common types are acute lymphocytic leukaemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Most symptoms of acute leukaemia are caused by leukaemia cells filling the bone marrow. This means healthy blood cells do not move into the blood as normal.

Or leukaemia can be slower growing. This is known as chronic leukaemia. In early stages of chronic leukaemia, many people don’t have symptoms or symptoms develop more slowly, over months or years. The types of chronic leukaemia are chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML).

What are the main symptoms of leukaemia?

Feeling very tired
Looking pale
Feeling short of breath
Keep getting infections
Feeling unwell and run down
Bleeding easily, for example nosebleeds, bleeding gums and unexplained bruising

Other symptoms of some types of leukaemia include:

fever and night sweats
unexplained weight loss
swollen lymph nodes
a tender lump in the upper left-hand side of the tummy (abdomen). This is caused by an enlarged spleen
aching joints and bones
visual problems and headaches

What is Lymphoma?

Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system. In lymphoma, blood cells called lymphocytes have become abnormal.

There are 2 main types of lymphoma – Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).There are many types of NHL. Some grow very slowly and may not need treatment for months or years and may not need treatment at all.

What are the main symptoms of lymphoma?

The most common symptom of lymphoma is a painless swelling or lump in one or more the lymph nodes. For example, this may be in the neck, armpit or groin. This is caused by lymphoma cells building up in the lymph nodes. Some of the symptoms may also depend on where the lymphoma is in the body.

Some symptoms of lymphoma can be the similar to leukaemia. For example:

Frequent or severe infections or unexplained high temperatures
Bruising or bleeding easily, for example, having bleeding gums and frequent nosebleeds or heavy periods
Tiny red spots in your skin (petechiae)
Feeling tired all the time
Swollen lymph nodes
Heavy drenching sweats, especially at night
Itchiness or rash all over the body that does not go away.
Feeling generally unwell and run-down, perhaps with a sore throat or mouth
Looking very pale
A cough or becoming breathless easily
Unexplained weight loss or tummy pain
Bone or joint pain and tenderness

What is Myeloma?

Myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cells, in the bone marrow. Plasma cells are a type of white blood cell which fight infection. In myeloma, the process of developing plasma cells is out of control and lots of abnormal plasma cells (myeloma cells) are made.

The myeloma cells fill up the bone marrow and make it hard to make healthy blood cells. The bone can also become damaged.

What are the main symptoms of myeloma?

Symptoms of myeloma may vary and it might not cause any symptoms in the early stages.

Symptoms can include:

bone pain, fractures, pressure on the spine (spinal cord compression) or nerve problems causing weakness or numbness in your legs
frequent infections due to reduced number of normal blood cells
feeling very tired and looking pale
kidney problems, causing poor appetite and weight loss or problems peeing
raised levels of calcium in the blood. Symptoms of this can include feeling very thirsty, constipation, feeling sick and being confused.

All the symptoms we mention here are common to many illnesses other than blood cancer. But if you have any of the symptoms, you should have them checked by your GP.

What Are We Waiting For? Our campaign for governments to tackle cancer waiting times

2023-07-13T08:32:10Z

What is our new campaign about?

Our What Are We Waiting For? campaign calls on governments across the UK to make sure everyone with cancer gets the treatment they need, when they need it.

New research from Macmillan suggests that at least 100,000 people with cancer across the UK have been affected. There have been increased delays in being diagnosed and starting treatment. NHS staff are doing the very best they can, but the system is struggling.

What are we asking for?

Our What Are We Waiting For? campaign asks governments across the UK to make the investments needed in the NHS. We need long-term funding plans and extra NHS staff to provide care and support to meet the needs of people with cancer. Cancer can affect a person’s whole life, from their physical and emotional health, to finances and employment.

We need leaders to take action now. The main areas our campaign focuses on are:

Cancer services waiting times – these are different across the UK. People living in more deprived areas often have longer delays, but it’s not clear why. Governments must work with experts to find out where the longest waits are and why they are happening.
Staff shortage –pressures on the NHS system include less funding and staff shortages, sending cancer professionals to other work in other areas, and backlogs from the pandemic.
Complicated health services – governments must increase national funding so people have support to help them easily access the right care and services.

Governments must provide dedicated funding and support to:

bring down waits for cancer services
keep cancer professionals in frontline cancer care and invest in specialist staff so that everyone can get the support they need
fund more administrative and support roles and deliver support programmes, from prehabilitation to rehabilitation

Then people living with cancer can get the treatment they need, when they need it.

How can you help?

Sign and share our campaign banner to support NHS staff and people with cancer. Sign our campaign banner and help us to make our voices heard as we ask governments: What are you waiting for?
Raise your voice - Join our campaigner network and join tens of thousands of people across the UK, who are campaigning for better support for people living with cancer. We'll keep you up to date with opportunities to take action and the latest news from our campaigns.
Share your story - Macmillan hears every day from people in desperate need of support. Too many people are facing long waits for cancer tests and treatment, and are living with stress and worry. Staff across the system are doing the very best they can but are struggling to keep up.

Whether you have been affected by delays to your cancer tests or treatment, or you're an NHS professional struggling to keep up - you can share your story here to help make a difference.

Planning ahead when living with cancer: What is advance care planning?

2023-06-29T10:15:18Z

Advance care planning helps your loved ones and healthcare team understand what your wishes are when it comes to your medical treatment and future care. It can be a good idea to document your views and wishes about your future care. This means they can try to make sure your wishes are followed if you become very unwell and cannot make or communicate a decision. In this blog we answer some of your questions about advance care planning. (read more)

Tips on staying safe in the sun

2023-05-17T13:00:00Z

It’s been a long wait this year but, with summer fast approaching, there are more opportunities to spend time outdoors and make the most of the warmer weather.

Small amounts of regular exposure to the sun, without the skin burning, are beneficial to our health. It helps our body make vitamin D, which keeps our bones, teeth, muscles and immune system healthy. However, you should avoid too much sun.

Why is it important to stay safe in the sun?

The ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun damages the DNA (genetic material) in our skin cells. This is the main cause of most skin cancers. The damage can happen from sun exposure over a long period of time or by being exposed to too much sun and getting sunburned.

Risk of skin cancer

There are three main types of skin cancer:

basal cell carcinoma (BCC)
squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)
melanoma.

BCCs and SCCs are different from melanoma.

Cases of skin cancer have increased in the last 10 years[1], and skin cancer is now one of the most common cancers in the UK. As we live longer, we spend more time in the sun during our lifetime. Like most cancers, skin cancers are more common as people get older. But melanoma is more common in younger people in their teens and 20s than some other cancers.

All skin tones are at risk of sun damage and skin cancer.

Top tips to stay safe in the sun

Stay in the shade during the hottest times of day

avoid the sun between 11am and 3pm
try to sit in the shade during this time and even at other times of the day.

Cover up

wear a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses and long-sleeved tops and trousers to cover up
wear clothing made of cotton or natural fibres that have a close weave – this gives more protection against the sun.

Use enough sunscreen

Macmillan recommend using a sun cream with a minimum SPF of 30+ together with a 5-star UVA and UVB protection.

What is SPF? SPF stands for sun protection factor and indicates the level of protection that a sun cream can offer against sunburn. If your skin tends to go red or burn after 10 minutes in the sun, applying an SPF 30 sunscreen will protect you for 30 times longer than that.

Ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun is the main cause of most skin cancers. Sunbeds also give out UV rays that can increase your risk of developing skin cancer. There are two main types of ultraviolet (UV) rays that damage our skin and cause skin cancer[2]: UVA and UVB.

UVB rays are responsible for causing most sunburns and skin cancers.
UVA rays penetrate the skin at a deeper level and can cause the skin to age. These rays can also contribute to sunburn and to skin cancer forming but less so than UVB rays.

When using Sunscreen it’s important to:

use sun cream with a high sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30
choose one that protects against UVA and UVB, with 4 or 5 stars
follow the instructions on the bottle and re-apply as recommended, particularly after swimming
remember to apply sun cream on and behind your ears
make sure you use enough sun cream – about 6 to 8 teaspoons is enough to cover most adults
regularly check your skin when you are being exposed to the sun and do not let your skin burn.

Remember to protect your eyes

Always wear sunglasses in strong sunlight. While there it is not yet clear proof that overexposure to sunlight causes eye cancer, we know that UV light can cause short and long-term damage to the eyes.

Vitamin D

If you are not exposed to the sun often, you can ask your GP to check your vitamin D levels. They may prescribe supplements if you have low vitamin D levels.

When you need to take extra care

Following these tips will help make sure your skin does not burn in the sun. Although all skin tones are at risk of sun damage and skin cancer, take extra care if you:

have pale skin that tends to burn easily, goes red in the sun and does not tan
have freckles or red/fair hair
have many moles
are in hot weather, including when it is cloudy
have a medical condition that causes skin problems
have a family history of skin cancer
have had a previous diagnosis of skin cancer
are undergoing cancer treatment - certain drugs and treatments can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight – these include radiotherapy, chemotherapy and some targeted therapies or immunotherapies.

have a weakened immune system (lowered immunity), for example if you have had a heart or lung transplant, have HIV or HPV, or have a type of blood cancer such as chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL).

Boots Mole Scanning Service

Did you know that a Mole Scanning Service is available in Boots pharmacies? Although unable to provide a diagnosis of skin cancer, ScreenCancer Dermatology Specialists can analyse an image of a mole or pigmented lesion to help identify whether it may need further investigation.

The service is operated by ScreenCancer with assistance from trained members of selected Boots pharmacy teams. Available in selected stores only. Subject to suitably trained team member availability. Eligibility criteria and charges apply. You can find out more information about this service on the Boots website.

If you are concerned about any of your moles, please see your GP.

Further resources

We have more information about protecting your skin if you have had skin cancer on our website.

You can also order our easy read booklet Stay healthy – be safe in the sun.

References

[1] https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/melanoma-skin-cancer#heading-Zero

[2] https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/sun-uv-and-cancer/how-does-the-sun-and-uv-cause-cancer

This content has been updated in April 2025.

Deaf Awareness Week: providing information and support for the Deaf community

2023-05-04T15:09:00Z

This week is Deaf Awareness Week, a time to celebrate identities and support the Deaf community. This year’s theme is all about communication and about helping people understand the unique challenges faced by the Deaf community when accessing communication.

At Macmillan, we are committed to providing accessible and inclusive information and support and we believe that everyone should have access to the right information and support for them.

Our range of BSL videos and animations

Since 2022, we have added BSL (British Sign Language) signing to all our new information videos and animations. This is to make sure they can be understood by as many people as possible and to make sure people have equal access to health information. We will continue to add BSL signing to any new videos and animations we produce.

You can watch our range of BSL videos and animations on YouTube.

Easy read information

Our easy read booklets use simple words and pictures. They can be useful for people who use BSL and English is their second language. You can see the full range of easy read titles and download a PDF or order a free printed booklet.

Speak to us, using BSL, for support

We have two ways you can get in touch with us for support using BSL:

Speak to a trained Deaf volunteer: You can get immediate practical support and help with how you are feeling through our Deaf Cancer Support Project across the UK. This support is available to anyone living with cancer in the Deaf community. It also supports their carers, including Deaf people who are supporting a hearing person living with cancer. You can access the service by contacting DeafCancer@selfhelp.org.uk.

https://youtu.be/F9WqhEwyQGs

Speak to our Macmillan Support Line using a BSL interpreter Call us free on 0808 808 00 00 if you want to speak to a cancer nurse specialist or about money and work. You can arrange a call by emailing us or chatting with us online. Or a hearing family member or friend can call us to arrange this for you. We will not share any personal details without your consent.

Tell us what you want from future BSL videos!

We want to create more BSL videos and would love to know your favourite format for these – please spare 2 minutes to fill out our survey and tell us what you would like to see more of. To fill out the survey, please visit our BSL hosting page, the survey will pop up in the bottom left corner after 30 seconds. The survey also includes space for any general feedback about our videos.

Testicular cancer: symptoms, tests and treatment, and how to check your balls

2023-04-21T10:00:00Z

April is testicular cancer awareness month. Around 2,400 men are diagnosed with testicular cancer each year in the UK[1].

That’s more than 6 a day!

Testicular cancer can affect anyone who has testicles including men, trans women and people assigned male at birth. It is more likely to happen between the ages of 25-40 but can happen at any age.

Testicular cancer is usually curable. Being aware of symptoms, how to check for them, and seeing your GP sooner rather than later can help find testicular cancer earlier when it is easier to treat.

What is testicular cancer?

Testicular cancer starts in one of the testicles. The testicles are 2 oval-shaped organs inside the scrotum. The scrotum is a pouch of skin behind the penis. The testicles hang below the penis. They are sometimes called the testes. The testicles are the main part of the male reproductive system.

Testicular cancer is usually only found in the testicle, but sometimes cancer cells from the testicles can spread to nearby lymph nodes.

Are there any causes or risk factors?

Doctors do not yet know what causes testicular cancer. But we know some of the risk factors that may increase the chances of developing it. These include:

Being born with an undescended testicle – Having an undescended testicle as a child increases your risk of testicular cancer. The risk may be higher if you did not have surgery to bring the testicle down.
Family history - Having a brother or father who had testicular cancer gives you a slightly higher risk of getting it. Research is looking into whether certain genes may increase the risk.
Carcinoma in situ (CIS) - Carcinoma in situ (CIS) is when there are abnormal cells in the testicle. If it is not treated, it increases the risk of testicular cancer developing.

CIS is sometimes found after having a biopsy of the testicle – for example, to investigate infertility (being unable to start a pregnancy).

Ethnicity - Testicular cancer is more common in white men than in African Caribbean or Asian men. The reason for this is not known.
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) - If you are HIV-positive, you may have a slightly increased risk of developing testicular cancer.

Factors that do not increase risk

There is no evidence to suggest that injury to a testicle increases your risk of getting testicular cancer. But an injury to a testicle or the groin may bring possible symptoms of testicular cancer to your doctor’s attention. Having a vasectomy does not increase the risk of getting testicular cancer.

What are the symptoms of testicular cancer?

The main symptom of testicular cancer is a lump in the testicle. Some people also have other symptoms. These include:

swelling in a testicle – this is usually painless, but it may sometimes suddenly get bigger and become painful
a dull ache, pain or heaviness in the scrotum

If the cancer has spread to lymph nodes or other parts of the body, it may cause other symptoms such as

pain in the lower abdomen (tummy)
a cough
breathlessness
lump in the neck.

Conditions other than testicular cancer may cause these signs and symptoms. It is always important to get your symptoms checked by your doctor.

How do I check for testicular cancer?

From puberty onwards, it is important to check your testicles regularly, for example, every month. Doing regularly checks means you will soon get to know what feels normal for you.

A normal testicle should feel smooth and firm, but not hard.

It can be easier to check your testicles during, or right after, a warm bath or shower when the scrotal skin is relaxed.

Hold your scrotum in the palm of your hand. Use your fingers and thumb to examine each testicle. You should feel for:

lumps or swellings
anything unusual
differences between your testicles.

It is normal for the testicles to be slightly different in size. It is also normal for one to hang lower than the other.

Orchid have a fantastic leaflet you can download which contains lots of helpful information about signs and symptoms and Testicular Self-Examination (TSE).

If I’m worried, what should I do?

It is important to get your GP to check anything unusual as soon as possible. You could also visit your local sexual health clinic. You can find your nearest clinic on the NHS website.

It might feel embarrassing talking to your GP, but they are used to dealing with problems like this. And they are there to support you.

Support if you are LGBTQ+

If you are a trans woman and have testicles, you may feel uncomfortable or upset about checking this part of the body. It is still important to get any changes checked. There is additional support available, such as talking to a gender identity clinic or a sexual health service that is trans and non-binary friendly. You can check if this is available in your area on Tranzwiki.

What happens when I see my GP?

Your GP will examine you. If they think your symptoms may be linked to testicular cancer, they will refer you to a hospital to be seen within 2 weeks. Sometimes, your GP will arrange for an ultrasound scan of the testicle before you visit the hospital.

Tests and treatment

At the hospital, you will see a urologist. This is a doctor who specialises in treating problems with the testicles, penis, prostate, bladder and kidneys. They will:

examine you and ask about your general health
arrange an ultrasound scan of the scrotum and testicles
arrange blood tests.

Some hospitals have testicular one-stop clinics. This means as well as seeing a urology doctor, you may have an ultrasound on the same day. You will also be seen by a specialist nurse.

If the ultrasound shows the lump is highly likely to be testicular cancer, the whole testicle needs to be closely examined.

The only way to confirm a diagnosis is to remove the affected testicle by surgery (orchidectomy). This also removes the cancer and is the main treatment for testicular cancer that has not spread. If the other testicle is healthy, an orchidectomy will not affect your ability to get an erection or your fertility. Your doctor or nurse can explain more about this.

Surgery may be the only treatment you will need.

After this your doctors and team of specialists may talk to you about the treatment options. They will explain what might be best in your situation. Treatment options depend on:

the stage of the cancer
the type of testicular cancer you have
the risk of it coming back

They may talk to you about surveillance. This is the option of monitoring you regularly in clinic. Or they may suggest having chemotherapy after surgery. Occasionally, they may suggest radiotherapy.

So remember, regular checks + early detection + getting seen early = big difference

The ball is in your court!

If you are worried about testicular cancer and would like to talk to someone, we’re here. You can

Call the Macmillan support Line on 0808 808 00 00
Our support line has access to an interpretation service including BSL. When you call, please request your language first in English, or use our web chat to request a call with an interpreter.
Chat to our specialists online

Further Information and support

Read

Understanding testicular cancer booklet

How to check your ball (testicles) easy read

Online

Macmillan website – testicular cancer

Online forums

The online community has lots of blogs and forums where people can write about their own personal experiences and share their stories.

Online Forum (testicular cancer)

Online Community LGBTQ+ forum

Orchid is the UK’s leading charity for those affected by male cancer, including testicular cancer. They off a wide range of support services to males of all ages including a freephone National Male Cancer helpline.

Watch

Video: Let’s talk balls with Justin and Matt

Listen

What matters to me podcast – Episode 3 : Matt’s story. Matt shares his story of being diagnosed with testicular cancer and how Macmillan support helped him when his diagnosis affected his mental health.

References

[1] https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/testicular-cancer

Colorectal cancer 101: symptoms, screening and reducing your risk

2023-03-27T14:31:00Z

This month is colorectal cancer awareness month. Our Cancer Information Development Nurse, Sue, has written a blog with all you need to know about colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer, or bowel cancer - is the 4th most common cancer in the UK[1]. The term bowel cancer is normally used when talking about colon cancer and rectal cancer.

Bowel cancer can be curable if it is found early. So being aware of symptoms and seeing your GP sooner rather than later can make a real difference.

Symptoms of colorectal cancer

No one likes talking about bowels and poo! And it can feel embarrassing to see your GP with bowel problems. But remember they are used to dealing with embarrassing topics. And they are there to help and support you.

So when should you see your GP? The following lists the main symptoms of bowel cancer:

blood in or on your poo (stools), or bleeding from the back passage (rectum)
a change in your normal bowel habit – for example, diarrhoea or constipation
unexplained weight loss
pain in your tummy (abdomen) or back passage
feeling that you have not emptied your bowel properly after you poo
unexplained tiredness, dizziness or breathlessness

These symptoms can be caused by other conditions, but you should always get them checked by your doctor.

Bowel cancer screening

Some people may be diagnosed through the bowel cancer screening programme. This is offered to people aged between 50 and 60, depending on which part of the UK you live. If you are registered with a GP you will automatically be invited to take part.

Bowel cancer screening involves sending a very small sample of your poo to a laboratory where it is checked for tiny amounts of blood.

Reducing the risk of bowel cancer

There are things you can do that can help reduce your risk of getting bowel cancer. Nothing can completely reduce your risk but doing the following can help.

Have a healthy diet - this includes lots of fruit and vegetables, starchy foods such as rice and pasta, some protein rich foods such as meat, poultry and pulses, and some dairy foods. Try to limit how much red and processed meat you have as they are linked to a higher risk of bowel cancer. Eating brown rice and wholegrain bread and other high-fibre foods also helps reduce your risk.
Keep to a healthy weight – being overweight is a risk factor for a different cancer types, including bowel cancer
Do some regular physical activity – this can help reduce the risk of some cancers including bowel cancer. See your GP first if you are not used to doing regular physical activity
Keep to alcohol guidelines – drinking alcohol increases the risk of bowel cancer. Sticking to recommended guidelines reduces your risk of damaging your health
Give up smoking – smoking is a risk factor for bowel cancer as well as other cancers.

There are some risk factors for bowel cancer that you can’t do anything about. This includes getting older or having an inflammatory bowel condition. And remember not having any risk factors does not mean you definitely won’t get bowel cancer.

A few people are at a higher risk of developing bowel cancer. This is because they have an inherited gene change that increases their risk. They may be offered screening and other treatments to help reduce or manage their risk.

Treatment for bowel cancer

There are different treatments for bowel cancer. Surgery is the main treatment. For some people it may be the only treatment they need. Other treatments include chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Targeted therapy and immunotherapy may be used if the cancer comes back or has spread to other parts of the body.

For information, support or just someone to talk to, call 0808 808 00 00 or visit macmillan.org.uk. We also have a playlist on our YouTube channel about bowel cancer.

1] https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/bowel-cancer#heading-Zero

What is staging and grading in cancer? What are the differences?

2023-03-13T12:36:00Z

In this blog, Hilary, Cancer Information Development Nurse, answers some of your questions about staging and grading in cancer.

What does grade mean in cancer?

Getting a cancer diagnosis can feel a bit like learning a new language. In this post, we answer some questions about grading. A cancer grade is one of the factors your cancer team might consider when they plan treatment.

Is grade the same as stage in cancer?

Cancer grading and cancer staging are two different things.

Stage describes how a cancer has developed or spread. For example:

what size a tumour is
what areas of the body are affected by cancer
whether cancer has spread from where it started.

Grade looks at the actual cancer cells. It describes how abnormal the cancer cells are compared to normal healthy cells. This can help your cancer team understand how quickly the cancer may grow or how likely it is to spread.

Both stage and grade can affect the treatment you may need. So, after tests to diagnose cancer, people often have further tests to get information about these factors.

How is cancer grading done?

A doctor called a pathologist will examine a sample of cancer cells under a microscope. The sample might have been collected during a biopsy or during surgery to remove the tumour.

How many grades of cancer are there?

This can vary depending on the type of cancer but pathologists use the following terms to describe many types of cancer:

Grade 1, low grade or well differentiated – the cancer cells are not identical to normal cells but they look similar. Grade 1 cancers usually grow more slowly.
Grade 2, moderate or intermediate grade – the cancer cells look more abnormal and are growing slightly faster .
Grade 3, high grade or poorly differentiated – the cancer cells look very different from normal cells and may grow more quickly.

There are different grading systems for some cancers. Some systems also have a grade 4. Some cancer types have a specific system that is only used for that type of cancer. For example, prostate cancer grading uses the Gleason scoring system. Kidney cancer grading uses the Fuhrman system.

Is stage or grade more important in cancer?

Both can be important. Grade may be the main factor that helps your team decide what treatments are most likely to be most effective for you. But for some cancer types and some situations, the grade of the cells is just not relevant. Other factors such as the cancer stage or the specific genetic changes in the cancer cells might be far more important when it comes to planning your treatment.

Looking for more information?

You can read our general information about staging and grading. If grading is likely to affect the treatment options for a type of cancer, we also usually cover that in our information about the cancer type. Use our cancer types A-Z to search. You can also get in touch, if you have a question or would like to talk:

Call the Macmillan Support Line free on 0808 808 00 00.
Chat to our specialists online.
Ask an expert.

This blog has been written by Hilary, Cancer Information Development Nurse.

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