Simply Oncology

Send a textJoin us for a special Kidney Cancer treat!!!A Must Listen episode!!We discuss the role of biomarkers in advanced kidney cancer with the wonderful Professor Laurence Albiges from the Gustave Roussy Institute of Oncology in Paris.No Kidney Cancer talk is complete without the question -" Where are we with biomarkers?"This is part 1 of a 2 part walkthrough of the biomarker story so far in kidney cancer.Laurence is unequalled in her clear delivery on this subject.As lead for the CARE-1 study Laurence is examining the role of PDL1 as a biomarker in 1st line treatment of mRCC.We also discuss the;- IMDC criteria- Clusters- KIM-1- PDL1- Sarcomatoid featuresRecorded before Christmas this is a gift that keeps on giving.We hope you enjoy!!Check the Transcript for more details.

Send a textJoin us as we return to complete our run through the landscape of metastatic renal cancer with the effervescent Professor Ricky Frazer.We look at the Dolly Mixture of subtypes that makes up non clear cell renal carcinoma.We discuss the new HIF2a inhibitors such as belzutifan.We look at future directions in kidney cancer.A treat for anyone who treats kidney cancer.Enjoy!

Send us a textJoin us is as we celebrate Kidney Cancer week with a Masterclass walk through metastatic Renal Cancer with Professor Ricky Frazer from Velindre Cancer Centre.Ricky is a co-host of the hugely successful Immunobuddies podcast and has a vast experience in immunotherapy management.We look at the indications for immunotherapy versus anti-VEGF TKI therapy.Should we just accept anti-VEGF TKI monotherapy in Favourable Risk patients?When should we try IO/IO combination versus IO/TKI combinations in the first line setting?All this whilst Ricky looks to put John in his place!!Enjoy

Send us a textJoin us for Part 2 of our Metastatic Endometrial Cancer special with the amazing Dr Gemma Eminowicz from University College London Hospital. In episode 1 we looked at molecular profiling and immunotherapy.In this episode we explore the role of;- hormone therapy- Antibody drug conjugates- PARP inhibitorsEndometrial cancer is taking off in terms of new and exciting treatment options.Gemma does an amazing job talking us through them.Enjoy.

Send us a textDr Gemma Eminowicz returns for 2026!!Join us as we discuss the metastatic endometrial cancer landscape with Simply Oncology 'friend of the show' Dr Gemma Eminowicz from University College Hospital London.Advanced endometrial cancer is so much more than carboplatin and paclitaxel. It now has the complete range of oncological treatments;- Chemotherapy- Immunotherapy- Antibody Drug Conjugates- Hormone therapy- Targeted therapy- RadiotherapyWe look at how the molecular testing in endometrial cancer has shaped advanced endometrial cancer therapy.We look at the arrival of chemo-immunotherapy in the MMRd group and now in the MMRp patient group.In the MMR proficient group we discuss the merits of 1st line Chemo-immunotherapy versus sequencing treatment to allow potential VEGF targeted therapy.Gemma shares her invaluable experience and helps Mike understand advanced endometrial cancer. Enjoy!!

Send us a textWe return for part 2 of our overview on metastatic oesphago-gastric cancer.Join us as we welcome back Dr Lizzy Smyth from Oxford University Hospitals.We look at the importance of nutritional support.We discuss future directions such as CAR-T therapyLizzy mocks John (again!!)A brilliant finish to our OG masterclass from Lizzy.Enjoy!

Send us a textDr Lizzie Smith from Oxford University Hospitals gives us a an amazing 2 part overview of management of metastatic Oesophago-Gastric cancer.We discuss molecular testing and therapy options in metastatic OG cancer

Send us a textJoin us as we unwind in the Christmas Holiday period with a masterful overview of PARP inhibitors in metastatic prostate cancer with Professor Rob Jones.Rob is an old friend of the show and is amazing at setting the scene for who & when PARP inhibitors can be useful in metastatic prostate cancer.

Send us a textHappy New Year!!!WE return in 2026 to complete our overview of PARPi in prostate cancer with the peerless Professor Rob Jones.

Send us a textWelcome back!In part 1 we discussed the major effects of menopause and how these can be worsened by hormonal medications given to treat breast cancer and the impact these can have on patients completing treatment as planned.In this episode we welcome back Dr Rebecca Bowen and discuss practical advice on managing these symptoms including a link to what will be a vital resource for all clinicians in Oncology and Primary Care: the Meno.Pause app.Link below, download today!Meno.Pause App We wish all our wonderful listeners and guests a very Merry Christmas, thank you as always for tuning in,John and Mike.

Send us a textWhen is it safe to giving HRT in women who are being treated or have previously been diagnosed with breast cancer?Will the use of vaginal oestrogens affect breast cancer outcomes?What is the trade off on quality of life when symptoms of the menopause aren't managed?Did you know that roughly 1 in 4 women stop their hormone therapy for breast cancer due to menopausal side effects!!Who better to answer these questions and more than Dr Rebecca Bowen, Consultant Oncologist in Royal University Hospitals Bath who specialises in the treatment of breast and gynaecological cancers and heads up the specialist cancer and menopause unit. 

Send us a textSexual health in cancer is a topic we need to talk more about.So many patients feel unable to  discuss their sexual health and also clinical teams don't also mange to bring the topic up.A cancer diagnosis can affect self image and confidence.We talk to Lorraine Grover who is a sexual health specialist nurse about how we can break down some of these barriers.Erectile dysfunction and much more discussed.You may never look at a Calypo ice lolly the same again !!This episode does contain some adult themes.

Send us a textWe return to Part 2 of our walk through metastatic bowel cancer with the excellent Professor Naureen Starling.We look at RAS, BRAF and future directions for treatment of metastatic bowel cancer.Can ctDNA have a role in metastatic bowel cancer?What role may HER2 have to play going forward?What is exciting on the horizon in mCRC?Enjoy!!

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Send us a textJoin us as we return for Part 2 with the superb Dr Alison Berner.It's Transgender Awareness Week and we discuss resources to support patients and clinicians.We discuss OUTpatients and UCATS - UK cancer and transition service.

Send us a textAs we approach transgender awareness week we discuss cancer care in the transgender community with the exceptional Dr Alison Berner.1 in 40 people aged under 30 identify as transgender in recent census.How we give support needed and signpost patients can have a huge influence on their experience of care.Alison has done so much work in this area.We learned a lot in this episode and we hope you enjoy!https://outpatients.org.uk/https://www.wearetransplus.co.uk/uk-cancer-and-transition-service/

Send us a textWe return to discuss stereotactic radiotherapy (SABR) in prostate cancer with the superb Dr Alison Tree from The Royal Marsden Hospital.We discuss the findings of the TRAP study which extended time to next treatment by 6 months when SABR was used for sites of growing disease.Do we always need to change systemic therapy when only one or two sites of metastatic disease is growing??

Send us a textWe are back for part 2 to finish our journey through the Gut Microbiome with the excellent Professor Monty Pal !!Few areas of cancer treatment have generated as much interest as the Gut Microbiome in recent years. We discuss work done by Monty's team on CBM588 on immunotherapy in kidney cancer.CBM 588 is a live bacterial product that is available in health shops in Japan where it is used to promote a healthy gut.Monty's team found incredible results where it improved response rates for immunotherapy containing treatment and significantly improved  time to tumour progression.Plans are now afoot to trial this in a much larger phase 3 trial which could readout some exciting results!We discuss;- Should we run patient poo through an AI algorithm to see what gut microbiome changes are needed- Can we engineer gut bacteria to make more of useful proteins in our gut- Can we get more biotech companies to engage in this space to help move it forward at more paceOf course Monty knocks it out of the park so he gets a Simply Oncology wish!!Amazing to hear Professor Monty Pal share his thoughts on this exciting area of medicine.

Send us a textDid you know that we have more bacterial DNA than human DNA in our bodies. This is because our guts contain trillions of bacteria and are now being thought of as another organ of the body.Join us this week as we discuss the Gut Microbiome (part 1 of 2) and its importance on drugs like immunotherapy response in cancer.We talk to none other than the excellent Professor Monty Pal from The City of Hope Hospital in California.Monty is an internationally respected kidney cancer expert and has been researching the impact of the gut microbiome on cancer outcomes in recent years.We discuss;The potential impact of fibre in our diet - any how much that looks like in Wheetabix.The need for balanced good versus bad bacteria in our guts.That probiotics are not recommended.The challenges of a faecal microbiome transplant.What a great episode!!

Send us a textDid you know that the lifetime risk of prostate cancer in a black man is 1 in 4 ?That's twice the risk of prostate cancer in a white man.Did you know that men in Scotland are twice as likely to have advanced prostate cancer compared to those in the South of England?Professor Frank Chinewungdoh is a man on a mission. He is trying to make prostate cancer testing as possible to men across all groups.He makes an argument for prostate cancer screening and measures to make PSA testing more accessible.

Send us a textWe are back to finish our journey through cancer vaccines with Dr Lennard Lee.We celebrate some of the heroes of UK cancer vaccine trials from centres Big & Small.Lennard gives us all some hope for the future.We now are officially Watching This Space for more Cancer Vaccine Trial results.

Send us a textCancer Vaccines are Here!!We talk to a man who is on a mission!Dr Lennard Lee - associate Professor at Oxford University Hospital.Lennard has a vision where we use the technologies developed in Vaccines during COVID and turn them into effective treatments for cancer.This is some space age stuff but its HERE, its EXCITING, its HAPPENING!!

Send us a textWe return on our odyssey through Rectal Cancer with the amazing Professor Richard Adams from Velindre cancer Centre, Cardiff.In this episode we discuss the immunotherapy revolution in the subgroup of rectal cancer that is MSI-High.We discuss future directions in rectal cancer.We also give Richard a wish  - AND HE GOES BIG!!!What a treat to have these 2 episodes with Richard!

Send us a textIn this episode we venture in to a new tumour site:  Colorectal Cancer.We are joined by internationally renowned oncologist Professor Richard Adams from Velindre Cancer Centre.In Part 1 we dive in to treatment of localised rectal cancer, with a comprehensive overview of the role of radiotherapy, contact brachytherapy and total neodjuvant therapy. We also explore the evolving evidence of non-operative management of rectal cancer. We look into the OPERA (EU), OPRA (US) and RAPIDO trials and where that's taking Rectal Cancer.

Send us a textBiliary Tract Cancers - Cholangiocarcinomas and Gallbladder cancers are often seen as rare and aggressive cancers.

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Send us a textWe discuss Early Phase Clinical Trials with Dr Natalie Cook from the Christie Early Trials Unit.We learn how molecular profiling is shaping early phase trials and how future trials may be shaped.

Send us a textClinical Trials are the Stepping Stones for the progress we have made over the years in the treatment of cancer.We talk to Dr Mohini Varughese who is heavily involved in clinical trials in urology and passionate about the delivery of clinical trials across oncology.We discuss:

Send us a textJoin us as we return for Part 2 of our conversation with lead medical advisor to MacMillan - Dr Anthony Cunliffe.Anthony is also a practising GP with ideas on how we can work better together - starting with how we keep our patients and GP teams up to date with our oncology letters.We talk about Performance status and why it so important to us in oncology and also how we can make life easier for people to understand our letters without extra work.The oncology letters from clinics are the lifeblood of information for many patients care so we should try and make them as useful as possible. 

Send us a textHow we communicate is so important in all aspects of medicine.In this special 2 part episode we look at demystifying the Language of Oncology.Our letters go to GPs and patients and we speak to Dr Anthony Cunliffe who is the medical lead for Macmillan Cancer Support and a practising GP.If you are GP or acute medic who treats cancer patients or a patient with access to your letters this is a MUST LISTEN.Also those of us oncologists wanting to make our letters useful for GP teams there is a a LOT to learn!We try and explain the meaning behind the letters.He takes us to task about parts of our oncology letters that would be more useful for GPs and patients. 

Send us a textJoin us for an episode looking at the role of radiotherapy in cancer treatment.We discuss the principles of radiotherapy with Dr Grant Stewart who has 20 years experience with radiotherapy treatments.This is a great episode for anyone wanting to understand the principles of radiotherapy.IF you are a patient wanting to understand your treatment or a doctor or nurse wanting to know more about radiotherapy please check this out!

Send us a textWe are back again discussing stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) with Dr Harshani Green from the Royal Marsden Hospital.Join us if :- You want to hear about the evidence from the FASTRACK II trial using renal SABR- You are a centre thinking about setting up renal SABR- You want to hear about the challenges of comparing renal SABR with surgeryWill radiotherapy be able to replace cytoreductive nephrectomy in metastatic renal carcinoma?We discuss this and more (plus Mike produces a Magic Lamp!)Enjoy

Send us a textJoin us for Part 1 of our 2 part Simply Oncology podcast with Dr Harshani Green on Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiotherapy (SABR) in Renal Cell Carcinoma.We discuss the role of high precision radiotherapy treating renal cell carcinoma in those patients where an operation may not be possible.- We discuss the excellent control rates- What size of tumour can we treat?- Will we ever be able to compare Surgery versus SABR for primary renal cell carcinoma cancers?

Send us a textSurgery in Bladder Cancer Bumper episode!We talk to Professor Jim Catto about surgery in Bladder Cancer.

Send us a textWe welcome back Professor Tom Crosby for another episode on oesophageal cancer.In the previous episode we focus on the diagnostic pathway. In this episode we look at option in the metastatic and advanced setting.

Send us a textJoin us this week as we hear Professor Tom Crosby share his insights into Oesophageal Cancer. Few people have been so highly regarded or associated with a cancer type like Tom Crosby and Oesophago-Gastric cancer.He has set up and run crucial trials, championed equity 

Send us a textJoin us for this weeks episode where we discuss the role of PSMA PET scanning in prostate cancer with Dr Amar Challapalli.PSMA PET scanning in prostate cancer has been a game changer in both diagnosis and treatment.We explore its role in the post-prostatectomy space.We look at how PSMA Lutetium offers a new treatment option in prostate cancer.

Send us a textJoin us as we return with another special episode with Professor Alison Birtle. This time we discuss Upper Tract Urothelial (or ureteric) Cancer.Alison is an internationally recognised expert in this area and was lead on the POUT adjuvant chemotherapy in ureteric cancer trial.She describes it as the non-identical twin to bladder urothelial cancer and we discuss the different approaches to this rare cancer.Described as 'The Queen of Upper Tract Urothelial Cancer' she shares her views on management and areas for development.Enjoy

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Send us a textPart 2 of our discussion on bladder cancer with Professor Rob Jones.We have new drug classes in Bladder cancer !!We look at Erdafitinib which is coming in the post Immunotherapy space to NHS England.We also look ahead to Antibody Drug Conjugates - in particular Enfortumab Vedotin - with EV 302 trial results and what access to this means for the UK bladder community. These are exciting times and we discuss potential side effects of these classes of drugs and how we intend to use them.Enjoy

Send us a textThe Royal College of Radiologists celebrates 50 years of Royal Charter this year!!!Join us as we explore 50 years of the RCR Royal Charter with the President - Dr Katharine Halliday and Vice President - Dr Tom Roques.We look at the achievements of the Royal College of Radiologists have made over the years and look to the future of cancer care at the RCR.We hear how the RCR is our voice as a community of Radiologists and Oncologists.It guides our learning and sets the standards for our training and profession.We even justify the membership fees for any sceptics.In this our 50th episode of the Simply Oncology Podcast we celebrate the Royal College of Radiologists 50th anniversary of Royal Charter Status!!

Send us a textJoin us for this Simply Oncology is Back in Bladder Cancer with the amazing Prof Rob Jones.Part 1 of 2 on a free ranging overview of metastatic bladder cancer treatment in the UK.Cisplatin vs CarboplatinRole of IO2nd line chemo?

Send us a textJoin us for this episode where we explore Head and Neck cancers and their treatment.This is a group of cancers from the mouth to the vocal cords and make up the 8th most common group of cancers in the UK.Almost 13000 cases happen each year in the UK.We discuss the major role that radiotherapy plays and the process and side effects.Teamwork is a major component of Head and Neck cancer therapy.We also discuss how immunotherapy has a role in advanced Head & Neck cancer.A must listen for anyone supporting or being treated for Head & Neck cancer.

Send us a textWelcome back for our 2nd part of our radiotherapy update on breast cancer.We finish our discussion with Professor Mark Beresford who is Chair of the UK Breast Group.We discuss the timing of radiotherapy around breast reconstruction.We look at situations where we treat other areas such and above the collar bone (supraclavicular) or central area (internal mammary) areas.We examine when radiotherapy may be offered after mastectomy.We also look at when we may be able to avoid using radiotherapy after breast surgery in low risk cases.Another must listen.

Send us a textJoin us for the first part of this 2 part masterclass in breast radiotherapy.Breast radiotherapy is a major component of breast cancer treatment. It forms a large part of all radiotherapy delivered across cancer centres.After removal of a breast tumour radiotherapy is offered to reduce the chance of local relapse of the cancer.We talk to Professor Mark Beresford who is chair of the UK Breast Group about how breast radiotherapy has gone from 5 weeks of treatment to 1 week.We talk about side effects and when we offer an extra radiotherapy boost to the area the tumour was.We also discuss radiotherapy for reducing the risk of disease in the axilla (armpit) and the current surgery versus radiotherapy debate for that area.This is a must listen for anyone wanting to learn more about breast radiotherapy.

Send us a textJoin us for the 2nd part of our discussion with Dr Olubukola (Bookie) Ayodele on health inequities in cancer care.We look at potential steps to promote health equity.Bookie introduces the concept of 'Cultural Competency' in helping health professionals discuss the very challenging topic that is cancer.We hear how biological difference in blood results can play role in excluding back patients from certain chemotherapy trials.We think about the stepwise change and education needed to make healthcare more accessible to all.Enjoy

Send us a textJoin us for this Simply Oncology podcast episode on Health Inequites in the UK with Dr Olubukola Ayodele.

Send us a textJoin us for our second part of our discussions with the excellent Professor Ananya Choudhury where we discuss the option of bladder preserving treatment in muscle invasive bladder cancer.In this episode we hear Ananya's views on new Antibody Drug Conjugate trials being used as an alternative to radiotherapy in a bladder 'preservation' strategy.She is clear that this is experimental only at this stage and does not meet any true definition of bladder preservation in her view.A fascinating and enjoyable discussion around all aspects of muscle invasive bladder cancer.Enjoy Role that ADCs may have on bladder preservation.

Send us a textJoin us for this episode focusing on the role of radiotherapy in the treatment of bladder cancer. We talk to leading bladder radiotherapy expert Professor Ananya Choudhury.Ananya is passionate about all things bladder cancer related and discusses her views on bladder preservation and radiotherapy.She makes a strong case for bladder radiotherapy in muscle invasive bladder cancer versus surgery and we review the evidence.We also talk about the use of 'plan of the day' and on set imaging in radiotherapy.This is a fascinating insight from a world expert in bladder cancer.We hope you enjoy.

Send us a textJoin us in this second part of discussing resilience and burnout and oncology with Professor Susana Banerjee.In our last episode we looked at the ESMO Resilience Taskforce and what institutions should do to improve resilience.In this episode we discuss what can help us on an individual level.A lot of it comes down to a feeling of job satisfaction.That can be having some variety to maintain interest and keeping the parts of the job that we value at our core.Susie shares some personal views that echo this view in this episode.We hope you enjoy.