PPIE Experience of The Early Detection of Cancer Conference 2026
For someone whose last scientific educational experience involved a crucified, dissected frog over 50 years ago, this conference was daunting…… but thank you for three days of semi bafflement from clever, personable speakers – so what I am trying to do from the bits I could understand is to establish what can patients do to work with clinicians and scientists to achieve earlier detection? Some ignorant suggestions; –
Gain a balanced view of technological potential and share our experience*. AI gets a bad rep – particularly with the kind of media which is most easily consumed by some underrepresented groups – could we learn that the evil, murderous robots can also be the helpful tools which aid identification of illness and provide the opportunity for longer, better lives? The benevolent messaging from Martin Lewis and the like about not sharing your data does not apply to responsible health organisations collecting information with positive aims.
Have our shopping lists analysed – maybe not presented with Amazon’s sassy, algorithmic messaging “people like you also get cancer” this might be a tad harsh but some supermarkets could provide data fodder which would help their customers to live and shop longer.
Discuss our family experiences of cancer freely with our relatives and volunteer this for use in our medical history*, going forward the technological advances could give us more opportunity to find inherited or common areas which will help future generations (including our own, this is not necessarily an unselfish act.)
Provide tissue samples before and after death so as technology advances more can be done with these
Learn from international data – either medical or lifestyle – our ability to analyse has increase dramatically –the conference’s international overview which showed great variation between countries’ ability to deal with cancer – this must be a great starting point to learn how this could be achieved, how attitudes to cancer, screening and treatment vary. Cancer Research’s current Unlock Cancer Breakthroughs campaign includes streamlining and shortening project approval processes may be relevant here and there may be other relatively easy wins to improve this country’s results.
Be willing to provide blood for multi cancer early diagnosis testing,
Participate in screening appropriately, even enthusiastically
Un fossil – keep learning – The average age for those getting cancer includes many generations who have seen a short distance between diagnosis and death in the past – so many of us are scared – we don’t necessarily want to recognise a symptom or admit to smoking a little a long time ago – we need to understand that earlier detection and diagnosis is a great positive and will give us the gift of more and better-quality time.
* Candetect posters on this area
by CanDetect PPI Representative Yo. Green.