Cancer is political – as the argument about its causes shows

New research suggests that environmental factors are responsible for the huge majority of cancers; but opposing studies suggest it’s down to genetics and bad luck. Which you believe may depend on your own philosophy

Should acupuncture be used more widely in the NHS?

A growing body of healthcare practitioners believe acupunture should be offered routinely for more conditions including pain in labour and cancer

Study: pregnant women with cancer can be treated without harming fetus

Chemotherapy and other treatments did not adversely affect the health of their baby when compared with those born to mothers without cancer

Like Jackie Collins, I kept my cancer diagnosis a secret – and I don’t regret it

Keeping her illness from her sister Joan must have been one of the hardest decisions Jackie Collins had ever had to make – I did the same to protect my parents

‘What’s a uterus?’ Health illiteracy could be the death of us

As a doctor I meet women who believe gynaecological cancer can be caused by promiscuity, and people who don’t know how to take their pills. Education is the remedy

Gynaecological cancer: ‘women are literally dying of embarrassment’

If my patient had come a few months ealier, she would have been cured with a simple operation

Stigma around gynaecological cancer stopping women from visiting GP

One in five wrongly believe womb and ovarian cancers are linked to promiscuity, Eve Appeal poll reveals

Is it time to hit the booze before NHS cuts really kick in? – cartoon

Even drinking very small amounts of alcohol can increase the risk of cancer

The harm doctors do when patients are labelled ‘anxious’

Doctors are often too quick to label patients ‘anxious’ without considering the harm this can do to their care. We need to put ourselves in their shoes

My wife’s £10,000 bill for cancer treatment makes me appreciate the NHS

Faced with the huge cost of vital healthcare in South Africa, I’ve realised how lucky we are to have the NHS in the UK. We must fight to protect it

Overexposed: the sun damage that can lead to skin cancer – and how to treat it

Despite the warnings, many of us still overdo it in the summer sun. Here are the main types of skin damage to watch for and what to do about them

Prostate cancer twice as likely to kill black men as white men, study finds

Researchers say study suggests need to target black men for screening of prostate cancer, which is projected to become the UK’s most common cancer by 2030

Run for your life: why cancer treatments won’t stop me

Jenny Baker planned plenty of runs to celebrate her 50th birthday. Instead, she found herself undergoing chemotherapy. If she couldn’t do marathons, she could at least run to the hospital each time

Spa retreats for people with cancer

Although a spa seems like the perfect place for someone recovering from serious illness, most are very wary of taking bookings from people who have been treated for cancer. Thankfully a handful have changed their approach, says Joanna Moorhead

Hair care: the salon wagon taking the stigma out of fitting a wig

If you’re rich or famous, a high-end wig is usually a lifestyle accessory. If you have cancer or alopecia, getting one can be a necessary embarrassment. One hairdresser is making it easier with a van full of wigs that visits people at home