Cancer and cancer research explained

Targeted cancer therapies work in a very different way to most other cancer treatments. But what are they and how exactly do they work? How is our research helping to make targeted therapy a reality for thousands of patients? 

Find out all about the sixth most common cancer worldwide and how we are helping to find more cures. 

What actually is testicular cancer? And what are the symptoms to look out for? In this explainer we’ve covered the basics of everything you need to know.

What is prostate cancer? How does it begin, and who is most at risk? And how are we helping to bring new treatments to patients?

Advanced oesophageal cancer can be aggressive and hard to cure. But why is it so hard to treat? And how is discovery research providing hope for new cures? 

What is lung cancer? How is it caused? And how are we driving even more new and much needed lung cancer research?

Some of our world-class researchers give their views on hot topics in cancer, from rare cancers and stopping the spread of cancer, to personalised medicine and immunotherapy. 

Vegan diets have been associated with a reduced risk of cancer but it's not clear if not eating meat is the true cause. We explain what the research tells us about vegan diets and cancer. 

Alternative therapies - such as herbal medicines and homeopathy - are sometimes advertised as a way to cure cancer. We explain how damaging this can be.