Skip to main content

Together we are beating cancer

Donate now

Cancer News

Tim Gunn

Tim is a senior digital news officer at Cancer Research UK. He started writing about science after studying English literature at Cambridge and magazine journalism at City, University of London. Before joining the digital news team in August 2022, he was a journalist and medical magazine editor.
Showing 12 out of 94 results
A woman facing away from the camera looks at medicine on pharmacy shelves.

With our funding, researchers at Imperial College London are investigating whether we can look for patterns in the medicines people buy to identify very early-stage cancers. With our funding, researchers at Imperial College London are investigating whether we can look for patterns in the medicines people buy to identify very early-stage cancers.

by Tim Gunn | News | 2 February 2026

2 February 2026

A close up shot of a person putting the bowel cancer test sample in the sample holder to send off by mail for testing.

NHS England has announced it will up the sensitivity of bowel cancer screening tests, a change that should help save more lives from the country's second leading cause of cancer death. NHS England has announced it will up the sensitivity of bowel cancer screening tests, a change that should help save more lives from the country's second leading cause of cancer death.

by Tim Gunn | News | 26 January 2026

26 January 2026

A microscopic image showing a tumour sample with different types of cells in different colours. Macrophages (red) are producing HO-1 near blood vessels (green) to keep T cells out of tumour tissue. Many of the blue cells in this image are cancer cells. There are small pockets of T cells highlighted in magenta.

KCL-HO-1i, a new type of chemotherapy "companion drug" that can be taken as a daily pill, could pave the way to more effective cancer treatments with fewer side effects. KCL-HO-1i, a new type of chemotherapy "companion drug" that can be taken as a daily pill, could pave the way to more effective cancer treatments with fewer side effects.

by Tim Gunn | Analysis | 4 November 2025

4 November 2025

An extreme close-up of a skin patch that could help diagnose skin cancer held between someone's finder and thumb. The skin patch is transparent, and one side is covered with a grid of tiny needles.

Our researchers have developed a skin patch that doctors could apply to suspicious skin changes to quickly check for signs of skin cancer. It's a painless way to avoid unnecessary skin biopsies, and it could give answers in a matter of moments. Our researchers have developed a skin patch that doctors could apply to suspicious skin changes to quickly check for signs of skin cancer. It's a painless way to avoid unnecessary skin biopsies, and it could give answers in a matter of moments.

by Charlotte Hopwood, Tim Gunn | Analysis | 29 September 2025

29 September 2025

An image of the waterfront in Copenhagen. There is a Danish flag with a red background and a white cross on the left of the picture. In the background there are colourful buildings and sailboats.

Cancer survival in Denmark and the UK used to be much lower than in other similar countries. That's still the case here, but Denmark has climbed the rankings. So, how did they do it? Cancer survival in Denmark and the UK used to be much lower than in other similar countries. That's still the case here, but Denmark has climbed the rankings. So, how did they do it?

by Amal Iman, Tim Gunn | In depth | 19 September 2025

19 September 2025

This entry is part 4 of 6 in the series The National Cancer Plan for England
Cancer Research UK scientists in the lab

C-Further exists to bring together multiple groups with one clear purpose: developing more effective, targeted medicines for children and young people with cancer.  C-Further exists to bring together multiple groups with one clear purpose: developing more effective, targeted medicines for children and young people with cancer. 

by Tim Gunn | News | 18 September 2025

18 September 2025

A microscopic image of a blood clot. There are many red blood cells and a single white blood cell held together in a meshwork of brown fibrin.

Our researchers have uncovered that platelets can hoover up cancer DNA, which suggests we could use them to detect cancers earlier. Our researchers have uncovered that platelets can hoover up cancer DNA, which suggests we could use them to detect cancers earlier.

by Amal Iman, Tim Gunn | Analysis | 14 August 2025

14 August 2025

A person lighting a cigarette with a lighter

A total of around 28.6 billion cigarettes are smoked in Britain every year, according to our latest study on smoking trends. A total of around 28.6 billion cigarettes are smoked in Britain every year, according to our latest study on smoking trends.

by Tim Gunn | News | 18 July 2025

18 July 2025

A medical professional holding a tube containing a blood sample

A new blood test that uncovers hidden changes inside cancer cells could help doctors find the best treatments for children and young people with cancer. A new blood test that uncovers hidden changes inside cancer cells could help doctors find the best treatments for children and young people with cancer.

by Tim Gunn | Analysis | 9 June 2025

9 June 2025