Health: Cancer

Debate between Earl Howe and Baroness Hooper

Wednesday 9th July 2014 Lords Chamber

[Earl Howe]

Yes, my Lords. One of the measures we took some months ago was to enable GPs to refer patients directly to diagnostic centres when cancer was suspected, thereby accelerating the pathway towards effective treatment if cancer is diagnosed. The signs and symptoms campaign is specifically directed at not only patients but also clinicians, including GPs.

[Baroness Hooper (Con)]

My Lords, is my noble friend aware of the important research carried out over the past 30 years at Southampton University’s centre for immunology to create a treatment based on stimulating the immune system? I appreciate that that is not on all fours with the Question, but it has the same parallel advantage of not causing the debilitating side-effects that traditional chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments can.

[Earl Howe]

My noble friend draws attention to yet another area of research which may well prove very beneficial to cancer patients. I am not aware of the particular study she mentioned but I shall gladly look into that.