Our Clinical Advisors
Our Clinical Advisory Committee is comprised of a panel of nationally recognised experts within each cancer speciality. Our clinical advisors represent some of the UK’s most experienced cancer specialists, many of whom are recognised as key opinion leaders in their field.
Professor Gordon Wishart, Chief Medical Officer
With more than 30 years experience as a cancer surgeon, I set up Check4Cancer to ensure that our clients and patients had rapid access to innovative and validated cancer screening, cancer diagnostic and cancer genetic investigations and in doing so, Check4Cancer has become a trusted and reliable provider of these services to insured, corporate and self-funding sectors.
Professor Richard Hindley, Clinical Advisor for Prostate Cancer
The evidence to support the use of routine PSA testing is stronger than ever. PSACheck enables men to have the test performed and provides all the necessary support and guidance should the test flag anything of concern. An early PSA test as a ‘marker in the sand’ is very useful and can be used for future comparison and improves hugely the utility of this simple and inexpensive test.
Jullien Brady, Clinical Advisor for Cervical Cancer
HPVCheck allows women to take charge of their cervical screening choices. It removes almost all of the barriers to traditional screening, allowing women to perform the HPV triage test themselves with rapid and personalised risk assessment results.
Sarah Beck, Registered Genetic Counsellor
If you have had a type of cancer that could be caused by a genetic predisposition, or if you have a strong family history of cancer, genetic testing may be useful for you and your family. If a gene variant is identified, this may affect your treatment options and provide information, to allow you to manage any future cancer risks accordingly. If the results are normal, this would provide reassurance for you and your family.
Professor Simon Russell, Clinical Advisor for Breast Cancer
Diagnosing breast cancer early and then getting the best available treatment is vital in reducing the risk of dying from breast cancer. When found early, when small and before it has had a chance to spread, breast cancer is easier to treat successfully. Regular breast screening leads to cancers being discovered before they can be felt, when they are smaller and when they are less likely to have spread.
Triple assessment in a one-stop clinic with clinical examination, breast imaging and biopsy, ensures a rapid diagnosis, enabling prompt treatment and a better outcome as well as reducing anxiety and stress.
Mr Per Hall, Clincal Advisor for Skin Cancer
It is important to check your skin and come forward with any lesion on the skin which has either changed in size, shape or colour or is new. This advice helps to a degree but only by careful evaluation of the story of that changing mole supported by careful evaluation of detailed pictures which look at the structure of it within the skin (dermoscopy) can guidance be given. SkinCheck helps separate out lesions that have friendly appearances from those that need to be considered more carefully in case they are suspicious of skin cancer.
Professor Sam Janes, Clinical Advisor for Lung Cancer
More men and more women die of lung cancer than any other cancer. Survival rates are currently low because it is detected late. The key for the future is to improve testing to allow early diagnosis of lung cancer and other cancers when they can be cured.
Professor Gordon Wishart, Chief Medical Officer
Professor Gordon Wishart is the founder, Chief Medical Officer and CEO of Check4Cancer, a leading early cancer detection and cancer prevention company. In 2016 Check4Cancer launched rapid access, streamlined and audited diagnostic pathways for breast and skin cancer to the insured and self-pay markets, leading to the award of “Diagnostic Provider of the Year” at the annual Health Investor Awards in 2018. In late 2017, Check4Cancer launched the first worldwide breast cancer risk test (MyBreastRisk) to combine genetic, family history and lifestyle risk factors to underpin a risk-stratified breast screening programme. As the former Director of the Cambridge Breast Unit from 2005-2010, and current Professor of Cancer Surgery at Anglia Ruskin School of Medicine since 2008, he has a strong track record in clinical research and modernisation of cancer diagnosis and treatment, with more than 100 peer-reviewed papers in scientific journals. In 2010 he led a team of clinicians and scientists that developed the PREDICT breast cancer treatment and survival model, now used worldwide.
Professor Richard Hindley, Clinical Advisor for Prostate Cancer
Consultant Urologist at Hampshire Hospitals. Visiting Professor at the department of Health & Wellbeing at the University of Winchester
Richard Hindley is a Consultant Urologist at Hampshire Hospitals and was appointed in 2014. In 2017 he was awarded a visiting Professor position working with the Department of Health and Wellbeing at the University of Winchester. This was in recognition of his growing prostate research portfolio which includes collaborating with other units including UCLH and the University of Oxford. He was privileged to be involved with the PROMIS and PRECISION trials, which have changed forever the diagnostic pathway for men with suspected prostate cancer. He has publications in both the Lancet at the NEJM. His interests relate not only to prostate cancer diagnostics but also focal therapy as a treatment option for men with intermediate risk prostate cancer, as well as minimally invasive treatments for benign prostatic obstruction and men’s health issues in general. He has been central to the successful introduction of Rezum water vapour therapy to the UK, which has recently been endorsed by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence.
Jullien Brady, Clinical Advisor for Cervical Cancer
Consultant. Professional Clinical Advisor for Colposcopy for Public Health England. Member of the Executive Committee of the BSCCP.
Jullien Brady has extensive experience in the UK cervical screening program. He is a former National Quality Assurance Director for the NHS Cervical screening Program. He is currently the Professional Clinical Advisor for Colposcopy for Public Health England. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of the BSCCP, the governing body of Colposcopy. Mr Brady is passionate about women having the opportunity to maximise their health choices and screening options. Having done all his undergraduate and post graduate training in London Mr Brady was appointed as a Consultant in 2008.
Sarah Beck, Registered Genetic Counsellor
Sarah Beck is a Registered Genetic Counsellor who has worked within the field of cancer genetics since 2001, working for GeneHealth at Check4Cancer since 2014.
Sarah started her career in clinical genetics working in cancer research and on the CAPP2 Lynch Syndrome cancer prevention study. Since completing her MSc in Genetic Counselling in 2003, she has worked as a Genetic Counsellor in the UK in Oxford and Cambridge and as a Principal Genetic Counsellor in Southampton. She also spent three years working as a Genetic Counsellor in New Zealand where she was involved in establishing the NZ Familial Gastrointestinal Cancer Registry.
Sarah has GCRB registration (Genetic Counsellor Registration Board) and she is registered with the AGNC (Association of Genetic Nurses and Counsellors) and HGSA (Human Genetics Society of Australasia). Sarah is a GCRB sign-off mentor and assessor for new Genetic Counsellors seeking GCRB registration and she has also been involved in GP training and teaching genetics to medical students and other health care professionals.
Professor Simon Russell, Clinical Advisor for Breast Cancer
Consultant Oncologist at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge and Hinchingbrooke Hospital, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. Professor of Oncology, University of Rome Medical School.
Professor Simon Russell is a Consultant Oncologist at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge and Hinchingbrooke Hospital, Huntingdon. He leads the Urological Malignancy Service and has previously been lead clinician for the breast service. He is the lead for Radiotherapy for Genesis Cancer Care, Cambridge. He has served as the secretary of the British Uro-Oncology Group 2003-2015 and remains a Trustee. He was appointed Professor of Oncology at the University of Rome Medical School, Tor Vergata 2015. Simon joined Check4Cancer in 2018.
Mr Per Hall, Clincal Advisor for Skin Cancer
Consultant Plastic Surgeon, Cambridge.
Mr Per Hall has been a consultant plastic surgeon in Cambridge since 1995. He has been a pioneer in the early detection of skin cancer using computer imaging for over 20 years. Mr Hall and his team have had a major input in the development of SIAscopy, producing the most clinical papers on the subject. He continues to collaborate in studies aiming to help identify suspicious skin lesions at the earliest opportunity and continues to work with computer scientists on ways to improve diagnosis including the use of artificial intelligence. Mr Hall is also committed to the reconstructive surgical needs of children in developing countries and regularly trains surgeons in cleft lip and palate surgery in Ethiopia to facilitate this. Mr Hall oversees the SkinCheck service.
Professor Sam Janes, Clinical Advisor for Lung Cancer
Professor of Respiratory Medicine at University College London (UCL) and Director of Respiratory Research at UCL
Sam Janes is Professor of Respiratory Medicine at University College London (UCL) and Director of Respiratory Research at UCL.
He has strong research interest in improving diagnostic techniques for lung cancer. Professor Janes qualified in 1992. He leads a group interested in the pathogenesis of lung disease including cancer formation and its treatment with new biological and cellular therapies within UCL Respiratory Research Department. He has a particular interest in early diagnosis of lung cancer. In 2012, he formed the ‘Lungs for Living Research Centre’ supported by the UCLH Charitable Foundation focusing on researching early lung cancer and the role of stem cells in its formation and treatments. His important work has been recognised by a number of international awards for his research team and the personal award of European Thoracic Oncology Investigator of the Year in 2010.
Professor Janes has published around 150 papers on lung cancer in journals such as ‘Nature’, and ’Nature Medicine’ and he sits on scientific committees assessing research proposals. Professor Janes also spends time helping CRUK, Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation and MacMillan with academic assessments, and public facing brochures. He is the lead of four academic randomised clinical trials and most notably recently launched the SUMMIT study, a 25,000 participant London based study examining CT and blood screening for lung and other cancers.
