A health minister has vowed to “shift the dial” on less survivable and rare cancers, as tearful MPs spoke about their relatives’ experiences of the disease.
Andrew Gwynne, who lost both his parents to cancer, told the Commons tackling rarer types will be a “crucial part” of the emerging national cancer plan, which will look at diagnosis, treatment and research.
Josh Fenton-Glynn, the Labour MP for Calder Valley, left the chamber in tears after he spoke about his brother’s rare salivary gland cancer.
My brother Alex passed away from cancer in the early hours of yesterday morning, Monday 20 January. I was with him at the time and he was calm and peaceful, at home. After this horrible disease had taken so much from him, the end was easy, and he went from breathing to not.
It’s… pic.twitter.com/g8dyMi90BQ
— Josh Fenton-Glynn MP (@JoshFG) January 21, 2025
He told the Commons: “Two weeks ago I lost my brother Alex English to high grade acinic (cell) carcinoma.
“While I pay tribute to all of those who gave him care, can the minister confirm to me that we will look at rare cancers and make sure that we actually research some of these cancers and find treatments?”
Mr English died in January.
In a tribute on X, formerly Twitter, the West Yorkshire MP described his older brother’s “warmth, his kindness, his hugs and his insight”, adding: “He was my hero.”
Mr Gwynne replied: “Firstly, can I send my condolences to (Mr Fenton-Glynn) and his family on the loss of his brother Alex. Of course, rarer cancers are important.
“They are a crucial part of what will be the national cancer plan and it’s in these areas that I think we really have to focus our efforts in both diagnosis, treatment but more importantly, getting that research done so that we can look at ways that we can tackle some really rare but deadly cancers that do affect many families, including my honourable friend’s.”
Katrina Murray’s voice cracked with emotion as she said: “One of my earliest memories was being in a hospital room as my grandfather was dying with cancer.
“Ten days ago, I was in the same hospital as my father died with the same cancer, 50 years in between, almost to the week, but no significant change in prognosis.”
The Labour MP for Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch asked: “Can the minister reassure me that what have been termed as less-survivable cancers, which aren’t necessarily rare cancers, are included as part of this work?”
Mr Gwynne told MPs: “My heart goes out to (Ms Murray).
“Losing both my parents to cancer, and it doesn’t matter when it happens in your life, it is just heartbreaking and as children of those parents, you never get over it.
“Of course, we will have a concerted effort on less survivable cancers. In part, they are less survivable because the research hasn’t been done or hasn’t been done to the extent that we can develop better treatments for them, and that’s where we’ve really got to shift the dial in the next decade.
“We’ve really got to make sure that people who have a cancer diagnosis have the best opportunity to live a long and fulfilling life after cancer.”
The minister made a statement in the Commons on Tuesday to tell MPs that experts, patients and medics had been asked for their support in creating a national cancer plan, due in the second half of this year.
“We will look at the full range of factors and tools that will allow us to transform outcomes for cancer patients, while improving their experiences of treatment and care,” he said.
Mr Gwynne opened his statement saying: “As somebody who lost both my parents to cancer, I am so grateful to the Prime Minister (Sir Keir Starmer) for giving me this job.
“He has given me a chance of a lifetime to do my parents proud by creating the kind of compassionate and humane healthcare that all of our constituents deserve.
“I am also pleased to be led by a survivor of kidney cancer, (Health Secretary Wes Streeting), his own experience as a patient will be invaluable to us in the months ahead.”
Conservative MP Paul Holmes later said he had been smoke-free for 34 days, using an NHS app, “even though my waistline and the Government have tested my resolve in recent weeks”.
The MP for Hamble Valley paid tribute to Sue Hall, his former office manager who died with lymphoma, a type of blood cancer, and called for a “fairer Government-led mechanism to fund our hospices on an even footing and with more money”.
Mr Gwynne said a hospice had raised a similar plea with him and said that is “something that will be fed into the national cancer plan”.
