The BEYOND Cancer research group aims to understand the impact of the cancer diagnosis and treatments on the long-term physical and mental health of the growing numbers of cancer survivors in the population.
The BEYOND Cancer group, established in 2015, investigates the long-term physical and mental health outcomes of cancer survivors in the UK. With over 3 million cancer survivors in the UK alone and tens of millions worldwide, this population continues to grow as cancer survival improves.
A cancer diagnosis profoundly impacts an individual's life. Beyond the risk of recurrence or second cancers, survivors face various long-term health challenges. Many cancer therapies have known toxic side effects, and several newer treatments have been associated with increased long-term health risks. These impacts can be wide-ranging, affecting:
- Cardiovascular health
- Bone density
- Kidney function
- Immune system response
- Respiratory health
- Sexual and reproductive health
Currently, significant knowledge gaps exist regarding the magnitude of these risks, the relationship between specific treatments and later health outcomes, and which patient groups are most vulnerable to poor long-term health. Additionally, we have limited understanding of how a cancer diagnosis and/or treatment affects survivors' long-term quality of life and mental health in the UK.
Our primary research focus is therefore examining how cancer history and treatment influence both physical and mental health outcomes in the survivor population. We believe there are significant opportunities to prevent illness and mortality among cancer survivors through better risk identification and targeted prevention strategies. Our research aims to provide the evidence base needed to develop these interventions.
Our work is supported by grants from Wellcome, the Royal Society, Cancer Research UK, and the Medical Research Council.
Our previous research has mapped out a detailed picture of cardiovascular disease risks in cancer survivors, and we have shown how cancer survivorship affects a range of outcomes including fracture risks, poor mental health, risks of serious influenza, and overall quality of life (see Publications section).
Research questions we are currently investigating include:
- How do anti-cancer treatments affect cardiovascular risk?
- Do cancer survivors have poorer respiratory health than the general population?
- How does a history of cancer affect immune function and infection risks?
- Among younger women, what are the implications of a cancer diagnosis for later fertility and pregnancy outcomes?
- How is cancer survivorship associated with kidney health?
We are also engaged in methodological research that supports our applied work, including research into the optimal use of matched cohort methods in electronic health records research, and how best to define diseases and treatments using routinely collected data.
Krishnan
Bhaskaran
Professor of Statistical Epidemiology
Helena
Carreira
Assistant Professor
Kirsty
Andresen
Research Student - MPhil/PhD - Epidemiology & Population Health
Harriet
Forbes
Assistant Professor
