In 2023, Dr Hogg was diagnosed with a brain tumour. As a GP with 13 years’ experience (in rural and semi-rural settings), the insights that David experienced allowed him to reflect on the practical supports and challenges experienced as a patient. In early 2026, he co-authored a paper in the British Medical Journal with authors from Harvard and Aberdeen Universities entitled Cancer is a Chronic Disease: why don't we treat it as one? Noting that he had received input from over 40 health disciplines (a marker of superb care), he has reflected on the challenges in tracking appointments, understanding the roles of these disciplines, and the administration required to track appointments, follow-up investigations and coming to terms with his diagnosis in terms of impact on family, career, friends and practical supports after losing his driving licence, regular income and career.
The terminology of being a 'cancer survivor' sometimes sits uncomfortably with patients who are immersed in coping mechanisms of a new and often terminal diagnosis. However, there is a growing use of the term in the international literature, and it is essential that patients' lived experience sits at the core of advancing the understanding of achieving quality of life and pragmatic support for patients who have been diagnosed with and provided with treatments for cancer. As a remarkable outcome of the success of skill, talent, international research and development, survivorship from cancer is growing. Patient experience stands to benefit from increased understanding of the experience of a cancer diagnosis and treatment.
As cancer care and treatments vary, understanding the impact on quality of life (QoL) is essential for delivering person-centred care and making informed healthcare decisions. While routine healthcare data provides valuable insights into treatment use and clinical outcomes, it does not always capture the aspects of living with cancer that matter most to patients. Similarly, the QoL measures used in clinical trials and medicines assessments may not fully reflect the realities of navigating complex and changing treatment pathways.
This session will explore how patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and real-world data (RWD) can work together to strengthen decision-making across the cancer pathway – from individual treatment choices to national medicines assessments. Bringing together patient representatives, researchers, charities and medicines decision-makers, the session will examine how QoL evidence is currently used in clinical practice and medicines access decisions, and what priorities may be missing. Drawing on the work of the Cancer Medicines Outcomes Programme-Public Health Scotland (CMOP-PHS), Myeloma UK, Breast Cancer Now, the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) and the patient experience, the session will explore:
what QoL means for people navigating complex and changing cancer treatment pathways
how the patient perspective is currently incorporated into clinical, policy and medicines access decisions
how linking PROMs with RWD could support patient-centred care, shared decision-making and healthcare improvement
what gaps there are between what matters most to patients and the outcomes routinely measured in routine healthcare and clinical trial datasets
This breakout session will explore how targeted, equity-led awareness activity can support more inclusive participation in lung cancer screening and help reduce inequalities in diagnosis and outcomes. Drawing on learning from Greater Manchester, the session will showcase two contrasting, but complementary, campaign approaches designed to improve awareness and uptake among underserved communities.
The first presentation will highlight a broad population campaign developed to raise awareness of lung cancer screening across diverse local communities, focusing on key messages, channels, partnerships and early learning on reach and engagement. The second will present a campaign co-created with the LGBTQI+ community, demonstrating how community insight, trusted voices and culturally relevant messaging can strengthen relevance, trust and participation.
A patient voice will bring lived experience into the discussion, offering practical insight into the barriers, motivations and communication approaches that matter most to those invited for screening.
The session aims to inspire delegates with practical examples of how equity-led awareness campaigns, designed with and not simply for communities, can reduce stigma, enhance health knowledge and improve uptake of screening invites. The learnings are relevant to both nascent approaches to lung cancer screening and embedded screening programmes across breast, bowel and cervical cancers.
Led by people directly affected by cancer, this breakout session will examine the power of storytelling and its capacity to support and improve the lives of people living with and beyond cancer. It will explore three examples: A Waiting Game, a powerful new play about the complexities of living with cancer; Stories of Cancer and Hope, a brilliant collection of 42 stories from people affected by cancer, and Elephant, a book in which the author curates her own emails, tweets and other found texts to tell the story of cancer diagnosis, treatment and its aftermath. The session will demonstrate that storytelling provides a vital and often untapped wellspring of insight and information and can also build community, dispelling loneliness and isolation. Some of the standard narratives around cancer are unhelpful for those living with and beyond cancer, their families, friends and carers. It is in the act of storytelling that we can challenge, reimagine and rewrite these narratives into something much closer to reality, so that people can feel seen, heard, known, understood and supported. It is in sharing the stories of those affected by cancer, their clinicians and carers that deep connections are formed and humanity shines.
National Managed Clinical Networks (NMCNs) support the delivery of equitable, high-quality care for a range of rarer and more specialised cancer types across Scotland. Adopting a Once for Scotland approach, these networks bring together clinicians, patients, carers, third-sector organisations and other stakeholders to develop best practice, build clinical consensus and improve treatment pathways for the benefit of patients and healthcare professionals.
A vital component of each network is the patient and carer voice. Through their lived experience, patients and carers provide unique insights that help identify opportunities for improvement, strengthen relationships between healthcare teams and those receiving care, and ensure that network activities remain centred on patient needs throughout their design, development and implementation.
Networks support patient and carer involvement in several ways, including dedicated patient and carer groups. These groups have contributed to a wide range of key initiatives across the networks and play an important role within established governance structures, helping to shape priorities and inform decision-making.
Drawing on perspectives from patients, carers, clinical leaders and network teams, this session will explore the role and impact of patient and carer groups within NMCNs and consider how patient voices can continue to be embedded within network structures. Representatives from the Scottish Adult Neuro-Oncology Network (SANON) will share their experiences and insights.
It’s clear to see why and how patients can shape clinical research. But what does Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) look like when you're studying signalling pathways, tumour evolution or molecular mechanisms?
Discovery research underpins future advances in cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment, yet opportunities for people affected by cancer to influence this work remain limited.
Through round table discussions, this session will explore how meaningful PPI can be embedded in laboratory-based cancer research. Researchers, PPI professionals, clinicians, public members and others will be invited to discuss questions such as:
What are the current challenges of involving patients and the public in discovery research?
How can the public meaningfully influence discovery research?
How can we encourage both lay members and researchers to undertake PPI in discovery research?
How do we avoid tokenistic PPI?
By bringing together people from a range of backgrounds and professional expertise, we will encourage individuals to share their perspectives and to challenge and learn from one another.
We also have a limited number of free tickets available for people with lived experience of cancer. If you would like to attend using one of these places, please email scotcancerconf@cancer.org.uk for the discount code and instructions on how to book.
Find out more and join Scotland’s flagship cancer event, bringing together voices from research, care and advocacy.
Explore the speaker line-up and learn about the expertise and perspectives shaping this year's programme.
Meet the organisations exhibiting at the conference and find out about the support, resources and opportunities they offer.
View the full programme and session timings.(PDF, 635 KB)
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