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A Chorlton man is speaking out about his experience of bladder cancer and life with a urostomy bag in a bid to encourage more men to talk openly about their health and seek medical advice when something does not feel right. Pete Smart, 67, believes men are often reluctant to discuss cancer symptoms and can be guilty of putting off going to their GP, something he hopes to change by sharing his own story.   Pete Smart from Chorlton has played football with his current team mates since 1986. The keen cyclist and long-time [...]

Across Greater Manchester, between April 2025 and March 2026, over half (53.3%) of lung cancers were diagnosed at an early stage. Part of this success is down to the NHS Lung Cancer Screening programme in Greater Manchester which is led by Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust with support from the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust. Since launching this screening programme more than 333,000 people have been invited for a lung health check. So far 202,000 lung health checks have been carried out and 139,000 people have had a low-dose [...]

When someone is diagnosed with cancer it’s a life-changing moment for the patient and their family. Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance – part of the NHS – has a long-tradition of working with patients and carers because we believe we can’t improve cancer services, outcomes and experiences of care for patients without involving those with a lived experience of cancer. Here Stuart Kohler, 63, from Standish, in Wigan, blogs about his role as a carer representative with the Alliance’s Greater Manchester Cancer Voices community. “When my wife Gill was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer, our world changed in [...]

The latest National Cancer Patient Experience Survey results highlight the positive experiences of people receiving cancer care across Greater Manchester. In Greater Manchester, 1,906 patients responded to the survey, resulting in a response rate of 44%. Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance recorded no scores below the expected range, with 10 areas performing above expectations nationally. Patients also gave their overall care an average rating of 9 out of 10, higher than the national average of 8.9. The survey found particular strengths in key areas of the cancer pathway: Patients reported positive experiences around receiving their diagnosis, [...]

The NHS is urging millions of people in their 50s to complete lifesaving bowel cancer screening tests, as new figures show this age group is less likely to take part. The latest annual bowel screening figures show that just over half (56.2%) of 54-year-olds took part in screening in the year April 2024 to March 2025, compared with more than 7 in 10 (73.5%) 70 to 74-year-olds. Around 100 cancers a week on average were diagnosed through the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme during the year, with almost 5.2 million people taking part in screening – nearly half [...]

Our Medical Director, Miss Susannah Penney, and Associate Director, Alison Armstrong, were invited to attend a special reception at Downing Street on Monday 6 July, to celebrate the NHS's 78th birthday. Hosted in the No. 10 garden, the event saw Prime Minister Keir Starmer pay tribute to the invaluable contribution of NHS staff. There was also a speech from the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care the Rt Hon James Murray MP. Susi and Alison were among 100 NHS staff invited to attend the reception. They spoke to the Prime Minister and Mr Murray [...]

A dad from Salford who has recently been treated for oesophageal cancer is urging other men to learn the warning signs and visit their GP if something doesn’t feel right. Gary Carney, 54, from Walkden, first realised something was wrong when he began having difficulty swallowing food. He said: “My wife was away for a few days, so I got a takeaway. Afterwards, I found myself rubbing my chest to try and help the food go down. I thought it was just the takeaway not agreeing with me. “But then it happened again over the [...]

James Murray, Health and Social Care Secretary, has been visiting Wythenshawe Hospital - part of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust to witness the pioneering work of clinicians using artificial intelligence to detect diseases earlier. Wythenshawe Hospital is one of a series of hospitals using the new technology in Greater Manchester thanks to the Greater Manchester Chest X-Ray AI pilot which was has been rolled out across seven NHS trusts by Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance. The pilot demonstrates what can be achieved when partners come together with a shared goal. Through collaboration between Greater Manchester Cancer [...]

The first full results have been announced from the NHS-Galleri trial, a research study looking into the use of a blood test to see if it can help the NHS to detect cancer early. The aim of the trial is to see if using the Galleri multi-cancer early detection test alongside existing cancer screening can help to find cancer early. More than 142,000 volunteers aged 50–77 from eight regions of England, including around 20,000 from Greater Manchester, took part in the trial. Reducing late-stage cancer Substantially fewer of the most advanced cancers were diagnosed [...]

People in Greater Manchester are being urged to “get curious” about their lung health this Pride month.  The NHS Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance has teamed up with OUTpatients, the UK’s LGBTIQ+ Cancer Charity, to raise awareness about NHS Lung Cancer Screening during the Pride season in the city. Ezra Johnson from OUT Patients and Oliver Butterworth from Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance (left to right) centre join members of the NHS Lung Cancer Screening staff at their mobile clinic currently parked at Hazel Grove Park and Ride. Research shows LGBTIQ+ people are more likely to [...]