Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to raise public awareness of neuroblastoma.

Public Health England’s Be Clear on Cancer campaigns aim to help improve earlier diagnosis of cancer by raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of specific cancers and encouraging those with symptoms to see their doctor promptly. The decision on which cancers should be the focus of Be Clear on Cancer campaigns is informed by a steering group, whose members include primary and secondary care clinicians and key voluntary sector organisations.

A number of factors are taken into account when deciding which campaigns to develop and run, with the main criteria being the scope to save lives through earlier diagnosis and whether the cancer has a clear and specific early sign or symptom that the general public can act upon should it arise.

Be Clear on Cancer campaigns do not currently include neuroblastoma. There are currently no plans to include neuroblastoma, however decisions on which cancers to campaign on is under constant review by the steering group, informed by the available data and medical information resources.