Cancer SIG

Cancer Special Interest Group

Focus and purpose

To provide a forum for the exchange of ideas, knowledge, information and best practice for those interested in the application of behavioural medicine to:

1) The prevention of cancer, including primary, secondary and tertiary prevention.

2) The screening and early diagnosis of cancer

3) Health behaviours among those living with and beyond cancer

This cuts across a number of behaviours including smoking, alcohol, energy balance (diet and physical activity), HPV vaccination, cancer screening participation and symptomatic help-seeking behaviours.

By bringing together researchers, clinicians, third sector organisations and public/patient representatives to facilitate the exchange of information on diverse aspects of cancer (from prevention and screening through to living with and beyond cancer), the SIG aims to enhance networks and collaborations and, ultimately, accelerate progress towards and improvement in cancer outcomes.

Planned activities and Events

Holding conference symposia, webinars, and meetings to raise the profile of relevant work among behavioural science and cancer research communities
Supporting the UKSBM mentoring scheme and cancer-related early-career fellowship applications
Disseminating relevant topic updates and information to members.

Past Events

Tuesday 20th February 2024, 15:00-16:00

Speakers: Charlotte Kelly Jones, Hannah Long and Sophie Green

Topic: Bringing behavioural science into research on breast cancer
screening and treatment

Joint webinar hosted by the Cancer Research UK City of London Centre and the UKSBM Cancer SIG. In a series of talks, three rising stars in cancer behavioural science presented their PhD work in the breast cancer screening and treatment context, including risk-stratification attitudes, emotional responses to false positive screening results and
medication beliefs.

Webinar recording

Tuesday 12th December 2023, 15:00-16:00

Speaker: Dr Jane Frankland

Topic: Personalised Care in Cancer

Joint webinar hosted by the Cancer Research UK City of London Centre and the UKSBM Cancer SIG. Dr Jane Frankland is a medical sociologist and experienced mixed methods researcher at the Centre for Psychosocial Research in Cancer: CentRIC+, University of Southampton.

Webinar recording

Tuesday 26th September 2023, 15:00 – 16:00

Speakers: Prof. Kate Hamilton-West, Kirstie Osborne, Dr. Lindsay MacDonald, Dr. Vicky Whitelock, and Dr. Charlotte Ide-Walters

Topic: The Power of Social and Behavioural Research to Improve Cancer Outcomes

Joint webinar hosted by the Cancer Research UK City of London Centre and the UKSBM Cancer SIG. In this session the Social and Behavioural Research team at Cancer Research UK presented an introduction to their team, areas of work and impact, and opportunities for collaboration.

Webinar recording

Tuesday 11th July 2023, 15:00 – 16:00

Speaker: Dr Sarah Jackson

Topic: The role of e-cigarettes in achieving a smoke-free England

Joint webinar hosted by the Cancer Research UK City of London Centre and the UKSBM Cancer SIG. Dr Sarah Jackson is Principal Research Fellow in the UCL Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group, Department of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London.

Webinar recording

Tuesday 27th June 2023, 15:00 – 16:00

Speaker: Dr Michelle Harvie

Topic: Can we introduce breast cancer prevention through health behaviour change in the NHS?

Joint webinar hosted by the Cancer Research UK City of London Centre and UKSBM Cancer SIG. Dr Michelle Harvie is a research dietician at the Prevent Breast Cancer Unit, Manchester University Hospital Foundation NHS Trust.

Webinar recording

Tuesday 14th March 2023, 15:00-16:00

Speaker: Dr Georgia Black

Topic: Diagnosing cancer for people with non-specific symptoms: lessons for system safety.

Joint webinar hosted by the Cancer Research UK City of London Centre and the UKSBM Cancer SIG. Dr Georgia Black is a Reader in Applied Health Research at the Queen Mary University of London’s Wolfson Institute of Population Health.

Webinar recording

Tuesday 4th October 2022, 15:00-16:00

Speaker: Dr Sophie Reale

Topic: Embedding supervised exercise into the NHS prostate cancer care pathway: development, delivery and evaluation

Joint webinar hosted by the Cancer Research UK City of London Centre and the UKSBM Cancer SIG. Dr Sophie Reale is a Behavioural Research Fellow on the STAMINA programme at Sheffield Hallam University.

Webinar recording

Tuesday 5th April 2022, 15:00-16:00

Speaker: Dr Samual Smith

Topic: Optimising complex interventions to support cancer prevention and control

Joint webinar hosted by the Cancer Research UK City of London Centre and the UKSBM Cancer SIG. Dr Samual Smith is Associate Professor, NIHR Advanced Fellow and Yorkshire Cancer Research University Academic Fellow at the University of Leeds.

Webinar recording