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Supporting GPs To Recognise Cancer Symptoms Sooner
C the Signs
For most patients, their GP is the starting point on the path to early diagnosis.
Every year, GPs across the UK see millions of people with symptoms that could - but rarely do - indicate cancer. Recognising which of those subtle signs matter most is critical. At C the Signs, we’re helping GPs identify cancer symptoms sooner, combining AI-driven clinical insight with trusted medical evidence to turn uncertainty into action.
The Challenge of Early Cancer Diagnosis in Primary Care
Cancer doesn’t always present clearly.
A persistent cough. Fatigue. Unexplained weight loss.
These are symptoms GPs encounter daily - most often caused by benign conditions, but sometimes the earliest indicators of cancer.
With over 200 cancer types and thousands of possible symptom combinations, even the most experienced clinicians face a challenge: balancing vigilance with efficiency in a 10-minute consultation.
That’s where C the Signs comes in - using data, evidence, and artificial intelligence to ensure no symptom is overlooked.
Turning Complexity Into Clarity
The C the Signs platform analyses symptoms, risk factors, demographics, and clinical data in seconds — highlighting when a patient may be at risk and guiding the clinician to the right next step.
By integrating directly with EMIS and SystmOne, the platform works seamlessly within NHS systems, enabling GPs to:
- Quickly cross-check symptoms against validated cancer pathways
- Identify rare or non-specific presentations earlier
- Refer patients confidently to the most appropriate service
This means patients at risk of cancer receive investigations and treatment sooner — when outcomes are most favourable.
Building Confidence Through Clinical Support
C the Signs isn’t just a platform - it’s built to work with clinicians, not instead of them. It brings together the best available evidence, national guidelines, and AI-powered insight into one clear, easy-to-use interface.
That means:
- Less diagnostic uncertainty
- More consistent, evidence-based referrals
- Improved patient safety and continuity of care
“C the Signs helps me confirm when my instincts are right — and sometimes, when they’re not.
It ensures that no patient slips through the net.”
— GP, North West England
Driving Early Diagnosis Across the NHS
By supporting GPs to recognise cancer symptoms earlier, C the Signs contributes directly to the NHS Long Term Plan ambition:
Diagnose 75% of cancers at stage 1 or 2 by 2028.
Across Primary Care Networks, Cancer Alliances, and Integrated Care Systems, GPs using C the Signs are already seeing measurable impact - with:
- More early referrals
- Faster diagnostic timelines
- Improved accuracy in identifying patients with cancer
Each earlier diagnosis means more patients receiving treatment when it can make the greatest difference - saving time, cost, and lives.
Beyond Technology - A Partnership for Change
Technology alone doesn’t transform healthcare - people do.
That’s why we work closely with GPs, practice nurses, and PCN teams to design and continually refine the platform based on real-world feedback.
Together, we’re transforming early cancer diagnosis from a reactive process into a proactive standard of care - one where every symptom is seen, every risk assessed, and every patient given the best possible chance.
Mayo Clinic Magazine Highlights C the Signs’ Impact on Early Cancer Diagnosis
We’re proud to share that Mayo Clinic Magazine has published an in-depth feature on C the Signs, spotlighting our journey, scientific breakthroughs, and mission to transform how cancer is diagnosed - globally.
Recognition from one of the world’s most respected medical institutions marks a new chapter in our mission to drive earlier detection, better outcomes, and a future where no patient is diagnosed too late.
A Story That Resonates
The feature, titled “C the Signs: Building digital solutions to find cancer up to five years sooner,” takes readers inside the origins and innovation behind our platform.
It begins with the story of Dr Bea Bakshi, who, after witnessing a patient’s late pancreatic cancer diagnosis during her time as an NHS doctor, was driven to ask a single question:
“What if we could help doctors spot the earliest signs of cancer - before it’s too late?”
From that question came the foundation for C the Signs - and the start of a new approach to early diagnosis.
The Mayo Clinic piece explores:
- How our AI models have been developed to detect patterns across multiple tumour types
- Our “closed-loop learning” system, which continuously refines itself with every patient interaction
- And our collaboration with Mayo Clinic’s Platform_Accelerate programme, enabling retrospective validation against diverse US patient datasets
One of the most powerful findings: in retrospective analysis, C the Signs identified cancers up to five years earlier in 26% of patients across the five highest-mortality cancer types - breast, colorectal, lung, prostate, and pancreatic.
That kind of lead time doesn’t just change statistics.
It changes lives. As our Co-Founder and CEO, Bea shared with Mayo Clinic:
“We’ve detected over 65,000 patients with cancer in the UK. In five years’ time, I want to be talking about the number of patient lives we’ve saved in the United States.”
Defying Time. Rewriting the Possible.
Our collaboration with Mayo Clinic reflects the next phase of our mission - building a future where early detection is standard for all, not a privilege for some.
Every earlier diagnosis is a life changed.
And every life changed redefines what’s possible.
-
Photography by Lincoln Gore / Mayo Clinic
.webp)
Defying Time: How C the Signs Is Transforming Early Cancer Detection Across the NHS
At C the Signs, we believe no one should face a late cancer diagnosis.Our mission is clear and urgent - to empower every GP to detect cancer earlier and give every patient the best chance of survival.
Why We Started
Every two minutes, someone in the UK is diagnosed with cancer. For too many, it’s discovered too late - when options are fewer, outcomes are poorer, and lives are changed forever.
The challenge isn’t a lack of care or compassion - it’s the complexity of cancer itself. With over 100 cancer types and countless symptom combinations, even the most experienced GP can face uncertainty during those vital early consultations.
C the Signs was born from a single question:
“What if technology could help doctors spot the earliest signs of cancer - before it’s too late?”
That question became our why - and our purpose.
What We Do
C the Signs is an AI-powered clinical platform that helps healthcare professionals identify patients at risk of cancer - earlier, faster, and more accurately.
Our technology integrates directly with NHS electronic medical record systems like EMIS, SystmOne, and Vision, analysing combinations of:
- Signs and symptoms
- Risk factors and clinical markers
- Demographic and lifestyle data
Using validated algorithms and national evidence-based pathways, C the Signs supports GPs to assess cancer risk and identify the most appropriate referral or diagnostic route - in under 30 seconds.
The result: fewer missed cases, faster investigations, and more lives given back time.
How It Works
C the Signs combines artificial intelligence, clinical research, and national guidelines to transform medical decision-making.
- Analyse – The platform reviews real-time patient data and symptom inputs.
- Assess – AI cross-checks patterns against validated cancer pathways and the latest clinical evidence.
- Act – GPs receive instant, tailored guidance on next steps - from urgent referrals to diagnostic tests.
By translating complex data into clear, actionable insights, C the Signs enables clinicians to make faster, more confident decisions - while maintaining full clinical autonomy.
Our Impact So Far
C the Signs is now used across the UK by over 10,000 healthcare professionals in 1,500 GP practices, helping identify patients with cancer every 22 minutes.
Validated through independent evaluations and peer-reviewed studies, the platform has shown:
- 99% sensitivity for identifying patients with cancer
- 99% negative predictive value, safely ruling out risk
- 94% accuracy in predicting tumour origin
- Stage shift in harder-to-detect cancers such as pancreatic and ovarian
- Faster time to diagnosis, reducing delays by over 20%
- More equitable detection, with fewer emergency presentations and earlier referrals across diverse populations
Every earlier diagnosis represents more time - and more life - for patients and their families.
The Team Behind the Mission
C the Signs was founded by Dr Bea Bakshi and Dr Miles Payling, two NHS doctors who saw firsthand how late diagnosis can cost lives.
Their experience on the frontline of care inspired a bold vision: a future where technology and medicine work together to make early cancer detection the norm — not the exception.
Today, our multidisciplinary team of clinicians, data scientists, and innovators share one purpose:
to end late cancer diagnosis, for good.
A Future Without Late Diagnosis
Our journey is just beginning.
We’re continuing to advance our AI, expanding across care settings - from primary to secondary care and beyond - to make early cancer detection universal and equitable.
Through partnerships with Cancer Alliances, Health Innovation Networks, and NHS England, we’re shaping a future where no symptom is overlooked and no patient waits too long to be seen.
Our vision is bold, but achievable:
A world where no patient is diagnosed too late.
Join Us
Whether you’re a GP, policymaker, or innovation partner - together, we can rewrite the story of cancer care.
👉 Learn more about our research and impact.
👉 Request a demo to see how C the Signs integrates with your NHS system.
👉 Join our mission to make early detection a standard for all.
Featured
Cancer in Numbers: Why Interception Matters with Dr Miles Payling
Dr. Miles Payling
At the inaugural C the Signs Conference, Dr Miles Payling - Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer - delivered a message that captured the spirit of the movement redefining how the world detects cancer.
In a talk that fused science with humanity, he spoke not only about technology, but about time and how every second counts in the journey to early diagnosis.
“We can’t afford to wait for symptoms to become obvious. Every moment matters - because every moment lost is a choice, a treatment, a life that could have been saved.”
The Why - Where It All Began
Miles began with the story that shaped C the Signs’ mission. As an NHS doctor, he met a patient named Joe - fit, active, and 60 years old. After several GP visits with vague symptoms, Joe arrived at A&E jaundiced and weak. Scans confirmed metastatic pancreatic cancer. Three weeks later, Joe died.
“Joe never asked, why do I have cancer? What he asked was, why was my cancer picked up so late?”
That single question became the foundation of C the Signs - a platform designed to detect cancer early enough to change the outcome .
Today, that vision saves time and lives - with a patient with cancer detected every 22 minutes.
Why Early Detection Still Fails Too Many
Cancer remains the leading cause of death in the UK, with survival determined by the stage at diagnosis.
For breast cancer, five-year survival is 97.9 % at stage 1 but just 26.2 % at stage 4.
For bowel cancer, it falls from 91.7 % to 10.3 % .
Yet only 58.7 % of patients are diagnosed at early stages .
In primary care - where 90 % of all NHS patient contact takes place - GPs face impossible pressures: 10-minute consultations, thousands of patients, and on average just eight new cancer diagnoses a year .
“The problem isn’t people. It’s knowledge. We need to give every GP the power of precision - instantly.”
The Innovation - Redefining What’s Possible
C the Signs is an AI-powered, pan-cancer platform integrated directly with electronic health records. In under 30 seconds, it assesses risk, predicts tumour origin, and guides clinicians to the right diagnostic pathway across 100+ cancer types.
Real-world evaluations across the NHS have shown:
- 99 % sensitivity - finding nearly all patients with cancer
- 99 % negative predictive value - safely ruling out risk
- 94 % accuracy in predicting tumour origin
- 50 % reduction in emergency cancer presentations
- 21 % faster time-to-diagnosis - from 85 days to 67 days
Each figure represents a human life identified earlier, a family spared uncertainty, and a system made stronger.
The Movement - Honouring Jess’s Rule
Miles closed his speech by reflecting on Jessica Brady’s story - a 27-year-old whose symptoms were missed, leading to a late diagnosis and preventable loss .
To honour her legacy, C the Signs is implementing “Jess’s Rule” - a feature that automatically alerts clinicians when a patient presents three times or more with unresolved symptoms, and triggers a cancer risk assessment .
“We can turn tragedy into transformation - by ensuring that no patient is ever overlooked again.”
Together, we can make early cancer detection a standard for all, not a privilege for some - and give every person the time they deserve.
News
Supporting GPs To Recognise Cancer Symptoms Sooner
For most patients, their GP is the starting point on the path to early diagnosis.
Every year, GPs across the UK see millions of people with symptoms that could - but rarely do - indicate cancer. Recognising which of those subtle signs matter most is critical. At C the Signs, we’re helping GPs identify cancer symptoms sooner, combining AI-driven clinical insight with trusted medical evidence to turn uncertainty into action.
The Challenge of Early Cancer Diagnosis in Primary Care
Cancer doesn’t always present clearly.
A persistent cough. Fatigue. Unexplained weight loss.
These are symptoms GPs encounter daily - most often caused by benign conditions, but sometimes the earliest indicators of cancer.
With over 200 cancer types and thousands of possible symptom combinations, even the most experienced clinicians face a challenge: balancing vigilance with efficiency in a 10-minute consultation.
That’s where C the Signs comes in - using data, evidence, and artificial intelligence to ensure no symptom is overlooked.
Turning Complexity Into Clarity
The C the Signs platform analyses symptoms, risk factors, demographics, and clinical data in seconds — highlighting when a patient may be at risk and guiding the clinician to the right next step.
By integrating directly with EMIS and SystmOne, the platform works seamlessly within NHS systems, enabling GPs to:
- Quickly cross-check symptoms against validated cancer pathways
- Identify rare or non-specific presentations earlier
- Refer patients confidently to the most appropriate service
This means patients at risk of cancer receive investigations and treatment sooner — when outcomes are most favourable.
Building Confidence Through Clinical Support
C the Signs isn’t just a platform - it’s built to work with clinicians, not instead of them. It brings together the best available evidence, national guidelines, and AI-powered insight into one clear, easy-to-use interface.
That means:
- Less diagnostic uncertainty
- More consistent, evidence-based referrals
- Improved patient safety and continuity of care
“C the Signs helps me confirm when my instincts are right — and sometimes, when they’re not.
It ensures that no patient slips through the net.”
— GP, North West England
Driving Early Diagnosis Across the NHS
By supporting GPs to recognise cancer symptoms earlier, C the Signs contributes directly to the NHS Long Term Plan ambition:
Diagnose 75% of cancers at stage 1 or 2 by 2028.
Across Primary Care Networks, Cancer Alliances, and Integrated Care Systems, GPs using C the Signs are already seeing measurable impact - with:
- More early referrals
- Faster diagnostic timelines
- Improved accuracy in identifying patients with cancer
Each earlier diagnosis means more patients receiving treatment when it can make the greatest difference - saving time, cost, and lives.
Beyond Technology - A Partnership for Change
Technology alone doesn’t transform healthcare - people do.
That’s why we work closely with GPs, practice nurses, and PCN teams to design and continually refine the platform based on real-world feedback.
Together, we’re transforming early cancer diagnosis from a reactive process into a proactive standard of care - one where every symptom is seen, every risk assessed, and every patient given the best possible chance.
Mayo Clinic Magazine Highlights C the Signs’ Impact on Early Cancer Diagnosis
We’re proud to share that Mayo Clinic Magazine has published an in-depth feature on C the Signs, spotlighting our journey, scientific breakthroughs, and mission to transform how cancer is diagnosed - globally.
Recognition from one of the world’s most respected medical institutions marks a new chapter in our mission to drive earlier detection, better outcomes, and a future where no patient is diagnosed too late.
A Story That Resonates
The feature, titled “C the Signs: Building digital solutions to find cancer up to five years sooner,” takes readers inside the origins and innovation behind our platform.
It begins with the story of Dr Bea Bakshi, who, after witnessing a patient’s late pancreatic cancer diagnosis during her time as an NHS doctor, was driven to ask a single question:
“What if we could help doctors spot the earliest signs of cancer - before it’s too late?”
From that question came the foundation for C the Signs - and the start of a new approach to early diagnosis.
The Mayo Clinic piece explores:
- How our AI models have been developed to detect patterns across multiple tumour types
- Our “closed-loop learning” system, which continuously refines itself with every patient interaction
- And our collaboration with Mayo Clinic’s Platform_Accelerate programme, enabling retrospective validation against diverse US patient datasets
One of the most powerful findings: in retrospective analysis, C the Signs identified cancers up to five years earlier in 26% of patients across the five highest-mortality cancer types - breast, colorectal, lung, prostate, and pancreatic.
That kind of lead time doesn’t just change statistics.
It changes lives. As our Co-Founder and CEO, Bea shared with Mayo Clinic:
“We’ve detected over 65,000 patients with cancer in the UK. In five years’ time, I want to be talking about the number of patient lives we’ve saved in the United States.”
Defying Time. Rewriting the Possible.
Our collaboration with Mayo Clinic reflects the next phase of our mission - building a future where early detection is standard for all, not a privilege for some.
Every earlier diagnosis is a life changed.
And every life changed redefines what’s possible.
-
Photography by Lincoln Gore / Mayo Clinic
Defying Time: How C the Signs Is Transforming Early Cancer Detection Across the NHS
At C the Signs, we believe no one should face a late cancer diagnosis.Our mission is clear and urgent - to empower every GP to detect cancer earlier and give every patient the best chance of survival.
Why We Started
Every two minutes, someone in the UK is diagnosed with cancer. For too many, it’s discovered too late - when options are fewer, outcomes are poorer, and lives are changed forever.
The challenge isn’t a lack of care or compassion - it’s the complexity of cancer itself. With over 100 cancer types and countless symptom combinations, even the most experienced GP can face uncertainty during those vital early consultations.
C the Signs was born from a single question:
“What if technology could help doctors spot the earliest signs of cancer - before it’s too late?”
That question became our why - and our purpose.
What We Do
C the Signs is an AI-powered clinical platform that helps healthcare professionals identify patients at risk of cancer - earlier, faster, and more accurately.
Our technology integrates directly with NHS electronic medical record systems like EMIS, SystmOne, and Vision, analysing combinations of:
- Signs and symptoms
- Risk factors and clinical markers
- Demographic and lifestyle data
Using validated algorithms and national evidence-based pathways, C the Signs supports GPs to assess cancer risk and identify the most appropriate referral or diagnostic route - in under 30 seconds.
The result: fewer missed cases, faster investigations, and more lives given back time.
How It Works
C the Signs combines artificial intelligence, clinical research, and national guidelines to transform medical decision-making.
- Analyse – The platform reviews real-time patient data and symptom inputs.
- Assess – AI cross-checks patterns against validated cancer pathways and the latest clinical evidence.
- Act – GPs receive instant, tailored guidance on next steps - from urgent referrals to diagnostic tests.
By translating complex data into clear, actionable insights, C the Signs enables clinicians to make faster, more confident decisions - while maintaining full clinical autonomy.
Our Impact So Far
C the Signs is now used across the UK by over 10,000 healthcare professionals in 1,500 GP practices, helping identify patients with cancer every 22 minutes.
Validated through independent evaluations and peer-reviewed studies, the platform has shown:
- 99% sensitivity for identifying patients with cancer
- 99% negative predictive value, safely ruling out risk
- 94% accuracy in predicting tumour origin
- Stage shift in harder-to-detect cancers such as pancreatic and ovarian
- Faster time to diagnosis, reducing delays by over 20%
- More equitable detection, with fewer emergency presentations and earlier referrals across diverse populations
Every earlier diagnosis represents more time - and more life - for patients and their families.
The Team Behind the Mission
C the Signs was founded by Dr Bea Bakshi and Dr Miles Payling, two NHS doctors who saw firsthand how late diagnosis can cost lives.
Their experience on the frontline of care inspired a bold vision: a future where technology and medicine work together to make early cancer detection the norm — not the exception.
Today, our multidisciplinary team of clinicians, data scientists, and innovators share one purpose:
to end late cancer diagnosis, for good.
A Future Without Late Diagnosis
Our journey is just beginning.
We’re continuing to advance our AI, expanding across care settings - from primary to secondary care and beyond - to make early cancer detection universal and equitable.
Through partnerships with Cancer Alliances, Health Innovation Networks, and NHS England, we’re shaping a future where no symptom is overlooked and no patient waits too long to be seen.
Our vision is bold, but achievable:
A world where no patient is diagnosed too late.
Join Us
Whether you’re a GP, policymaker, or innovation partner - together, we can rewrite the story of cancer care.
👉 Learn more about our research and impact.
👉 Request a demo to see how C the Signs integrates with your NHS system.
👉 Join our mission to make early detection a standard for all.