Rugby cancer survivor backs research into diagnostic lozenges

Mr Steele urged others to support Cancer Research UK’s Stand Up for Cancer campaign, which takes discoveries out of the laboratory and turns them into new tests and treatments.

The campaign invested in a University of Birmingham project to develop a lozenge that could detect oral cancer earlier, without the need for an invasive biopsy.

The diagnostic method developed by Dr. Ruchi Gupta and her team involves turning a smart hydrogel into flavored lozenges.

Currently, doctors have to cut out a small piece of tissue and send it to a laboratory for testing to detect oral cancer.

Mr Steele said the lollipop study was a “huge” step in the right direction.

“The idea that one day you can bypass this whole procedure and make an appointment to suck on a lollipop instead is just great,” he added.

“I am still in a lot of pain as a result of the treatment, but that is why I encourage people to stand up to cancer and help support research into kinder, faster and more effective treatments.”