Adrian Marston is a former President of the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain who has suffered from cancer twice – though the two experiences were really very different.

The gulf between the disease (and hence the experience of suffering from) these two very different maladies, both given the title “cancer”, has lead him to write an insightful article in the New Statesman in which he argues that the term “cancer” should no longer be used. He makes a strong argument, and I’d very much like it to catch on. Unfortunately, I fear the reality of the billion pound “cancer industry” will count for more than the potential to avoid distress in patients.

I hope I’m wrong.