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One in two people in the UK will be diagnosed with some form of cancer in their lifetime.

Your risk of developing cancer can depend on your age, genetics and your lifestyle, but Cancer Research UK tells us that two in every five cases are preventable.

The key is to spot the cancer early by recognising the signs and acting quickly – especially if your GP asks you to go along for screening.

Watch our BLMK Cancer Patient Forum video:

Advice and Support

Download our BLMK Cancer Patient Forum leaflet.

Protect Your Voice! Important things for NHS patient advocates to know

You can find more information, advice and support on the Cancer Research UK, Macmillan Cancer Support and Cancer Care Map websites.

Two week referral information

A document detailing two week wait referral information is available below for each of our areas:

Walk-through video collections

A collection of videos has been created to support patients, families, and carers by offering a clear and reassuring look at what to expect during cancer care in our three local hospitals.

Mount Vernon Cancer Centre Public Consultation

A public consultation on the future of Mount Vernon Cancer Centre has been launched, it will run until 29 March 2026. Patients, staff, stakeholders and local communities are being invited to share their views on proposals. Find out more here.

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Latest news and highlights

News

6 February 2026

Have your say on proposals to relocate Mount Vernon Cancer Centre –…

People across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and surrounding areas have been invited to have their say on proposals to relocate Mount Vernon Cancer Centre to a new,…

News

4 February 2026

Bedford and Central Bedfordshire residents to be offered lung cancer screening

Eligible people living in the Bedford and Central Bedfordshire areas are to be invited to come forward for lung cancer screening, as the mobile screening…

Case Study

4 February 2026

On World Cancer Day, Denise marks 10 years since her first breast…

“I was inundated with messages of hope,” says Denise Coates, thinking back almost a decade to the first time she spoke out about her breast cancer diagnosis.  “There’s nothing positive…

News

2 February 2026

More appointments on offer in general practices, new figures show

The number of appointments available at general practices in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes continued to rise in the three months to November 2025, according to new data published by…

News

29 January 2026

Urgent dental appointments now available in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes

Extra appointments are available now for people in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes who need urgent or emergency dental care. There are 700,000 extra urgent dental appointments being rolled out…

News

20 January 2026

Pharmacy First sore throat consultations up by over 80% as winter illnesses…

New figures from NHS England show that almost 5,000 patients in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes used the Pharmacy First scheme to get treatment for a sore throat without seeing…