AI drives earlier cancer diagnosis and 808 percent ROI: presented at 2025 ASCO QCS

Earlier this month, Joe Powell, Member of Parliament for Kensington and Bayswater, visited Golborne Medical Centre to see how local GPs are using C the Signs.

Hosted by Dr Meena Nathan and Dr Thushara Goonewardene, the visit brought together community clinicians, C the Signs Co-Founder Dr Miles Payling, and local leaders to explore how innovation, teamwork, and community engagement are transforming early diagnosis in one of London’s most diverse communities.

Transforming Early Diagnosis in Primary Care

Inside the busy surgery, clinicians demonstrated how C the Signs supports decision-making in real time - analysing patient records, symptoms, and risk factors to surface hidden indicators of cancer during routine appointments.

“We’re still early in the rollout, but already it’s helping us prioritise patients who might otherwise slip through the cracks,” one clinician shared.

C the Signs’ AI models - validated across more than 500,000 patient records - have achieved 99% sensitivity for cancer detection and 94% accuracy in predicting tumour origin. In real-world NHS evaluations, practices using C the Signs have seen a 50% reduction in emergency cancer diagnoses and a 20–50% improvement in time to diagnosis.

Discussions during the visit focused on addressing barriers such as low screening uptake and under-detection in harder-to-spot cancers like pancreatic and lung - areas where C the Signs’ AI-driven case finding is already being deployed across the NHS.

Community, Compassion and Continuity

Beyond technology, clinicians emphasised the human side of early diagnosis.
One GP described how her team intervened when a patient’s surgery was nearly cancelled due to language barriers:

“She came in completely distraught. We stepped in, made the calls, got her rebooked. That kind of support takes time - but it changes everything.”

The Golborne team highlighted how community partnerships and culturally sensitive communication remain critical to ensuring that early diagnosis reaches every patient.

“It all starts with education,” said another clinician. “We saw what community groups achieved during the pandemic - those links still exist, but time is our biggest limitation.”

Facing the Pressures in Primary Care

The visit also revealed the realities of delivering proactive, preventative care in a high-demand urban setting. With limited space, the team frequently repurposes rooms - even corridors - to ensure every patient is seen. Expansion plans are already underway to increase clinical capacity next year.

Despite these pressures, Golborne’s clinicians continue to innovate, integrating mental health support, opportunistic health checks, and early-diagnosis prompts into every consultation.

“Our patients work with us,” said a member of the Golborne team. “They know we’re doing our best - and they appreciate that.”

Partnership Beyond the Practice

Speaking after the visit, Joe Powell MP emphasised the importance of collaboration between community, technology, and health services:

“What’s happening here in Golborne - between GPs, community groups, and innovators like C the Signs - is exactly the kind of joined-up approach we need to deliver earlier diagnosis and better care.”

He also called for stronger links across the Integrated Care Board (ICB) and better alignment between voluntary and statutory services to tackle the wider determinants of health - from housing to mental wellbeing.

Dr Miles Payling, Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer at C the Signs, added:

“Early diagnosis begins in communities - in everyday conversations between GPs and patients, supported by technology that empowers those moments. Every 22 minutes, C the Signs helps detect another patient with cancer. What’s happening in Golborne shows how innovation can give patients back the one thing cancer takes away: time.”

Why It Matters

C the Signs was built by NHS doctors to work within existing systems and integrate seamlessly with primary-care workflows. Today, it is commissioned in over 1,500 GP practices, covering more than 10 million patient lives across the UK.

By enabling faster, more accurate triage and supporting clinicians at the point of care, the platform is redefining how cancer is detected - turning complex data into actionable insight and giving every patient a better chance of being seen in time.

Cancer touches nearly every life, yet its outcome can change dramatically depending on one thing: how early it’s found.

At C the Signs, our mission is to make sure no patient faces a late cancer diagnosis. By helping clinicians detect cancer sooner, we can give every person the best chance of survival.

The Power of Early Diagnosis

When cancer is diagnosed early, treatment is simpler, recovery is quicker, and survival rates are dramatically higher.

In fact:

• Patients diagnosed at Stage 1 are up to three times more likely to survive than those diagnosed at Stage 4.
• For some cancers, such as bowel and breast cancer, early detection can mean survival rates of over 90%.
• The NHS estimates that over 55,000 lives could be saved each year in the UK through earlier diagnosis.
  

Yet, despite these numbers, nearly half of all cancers are still diagnosed at a later stage.

That’s where technology and innovation must step in.

The Challenge: Subtle Signs, Complex Pathways

Detecting cancer early isn’t always straightforward.

In primary care, GPs see hundreds of patients every week - many presenting with symptoms that could be caused by a wide range of conditions.

Fatigue, unexplained weight loss, persistent cough - they might be harmless, or they might be the first signs of cancer.

With over 200 different types of cancer, each with unique presentations, it’s easy to see how even experienced clinicians face uncertainty.

The traditional diagnostic process can be complex and time-consuming - but with AI-powered tools like C the Signs, we can help clinicians navigate those complexities in seconds.

How C the Signs Supports Early Diagnosis

C the Signs uses artificial intelligence and clinical research to help healthcare professionals identify cancer risk at the earliest opportunity.

It analyses combinations of symptoms, risk factors, demographics, and clinical data to highlight when a patient may need urgent testing or referral.

By integrating seamlessly with GP systems such as EMIS, SystmOne, and Vision, C the Signs supports faster, evidence-based decisions - right there in the consultation. Every time a clinician uses C the Signs, they’re helping to catch cancer earlier, speed up treatment, and improve outcomes.

Real Impact, Real Lives

Behind every early diagnosis is a patient who gets to start treatment sooner - and a family that gets to hold on to more time.

From NHS practices to Cancer Alliances across the UK, C the Signs is helping to make that difference daily.

GPs using the platform have seen:

• Increases in timely referrals,
• Improvements in diagnostic accuracy, and
• Greater confidence in identifying patients at risk.
  

Early diagnosis isn’t just a metric - it’s a moment that can change a life.

Working Towards a Shared NHS Goal

The NHS Long Term Plan sets an ambitious target:

By 2028, 75% of cancers should be diagnosed at Stage 1 or 2.

C the Signs is proud to support this national mission by equipping GPs and healthcare professionals with the tools they need to meet it.

By combining clinical expertise with AI, we’re helping transform early diagnosis from an aspiration into a reality.

Every Early Diagnosis Starts with Action

Every consultation is a chance to change a life.

By acting on subtle symptoms and supporting clinical decision-making, C the Signs empowers clinicians to make earlier, more confident diagnoses.

“Because when cancer is found early, we don’t just treat a disease - we save a future.”

Learn More

👉 Discover How C the Signs Works - explore our AI-powered approach to early diagnosis.

👉 Read The Story Behind C the Signs - our journey to change the future of cancer care.

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Conversations about cannabis and cancer are everywhere, from news stories to social media. For some, cannabis represents hope, for others, confusion. What’s clear is that research is still catching up with public interest.

So, what do we actually know about cannabis, its components, and its potential role in cancer care?

What is cannabis?

Cannabis is a plant that has been used for thousands of years, both recreationally and medicinally. The resin it produces contains cannabinoids, chemical compounds that can interact with the human body.

Two of the main cannabinoids are:

• Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) - the compound that causes a “high.”
• Cannabidiol (CBD) - which doesn’t cause a high and is legal in the UK when sold without THC.

The human body naturally produces its own cannabinoids, known as endocannabinoids, which help regulate processes such as appetite, mood and pain. This system is complex and continues to be studied, including how it may relate to certain diseases, cancer among them.

The legal status in the UK

Cannabis remains a Class B drug under UK law, meaning it’s illegal to possess or supply it. However, several prescribed medicines derived from cannabis are approved for use in the NHS, including:

• Nabilone, used to help control nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy.
• Epidyolex, used to treat certain types of severe epilepsy.

These are highly regulated medicines, prescribed only when other treatments haven’t worked.

CBD products, such as oils, drops, or gummies, are legal to buy in the UK if they contain no THC and are marketed as food supplements. They cannot legally claim to treat or prevent disease.

What about cannabis oil?

Cannabis oil products vary widely. Some contain only CBD, while others, often sold illegally, include THC. Pure CBD oil is legal to buy as a food supplement in the UK, but products sold online or in shops are not medicines and are not regulated for quality or content.

People living with cancer sometimes explore CBD oil to help with pain, anxiety or sleep. However, claims that CBD or cannabis oil can cure or shrink cancer are not supported by scientific evidence.

If a patient wishes to try CBD, they should always speak to their GP, pharmacist or cancer care team first - especially as CBD can interact with other prescribed medicines.

Cannabis and cancer: what the evidence shows

Researchers around the world have been studying cannabinoids and their potential role in cancer treatment. The results have been mixed and mostly early stage.

Some laboratory studies show that cannabinoids can:

• Trigger cancer cells to die (a process called apoptosis).
• Slow the growth of certain cancer cells.
• Prevent tumours from forming new blood vessels.

However, other studies have found that cannabinoids can:

• Damage healthy blood vessels.
• Sometimes promote cancer cell growth under certain conditions.

It’s also important to note that most of this research has been done in cells in the lab or in animals, not in people. What works in a petri dish doesn’t always translate into safe or effective treatments for patients.

As of 2025, there is no reliable clinical evidence that cannabis or cannabinoids can treat or cure cancer in humans.

What the research is exploring

Recent trials are beginning to look at cannabinoids in controlled, medical settings. These studies focus mainly on symptom control or exploring whether cannabinoids can be safely combined with standard treatment - not on replacing proven therapies.

Medicinal cannabis for symptom control in advanced cancer (2025)

A randomised, double-blind clinical trial tested a cannabis oil against placebo in patients with advanced cancer. The trial found no difference in overall symptom distress, though some patients reported a small reduction in pain. However, this came with higher rates of side effects such as dizziness and fatigue, highlighting the need for further research into safe dosing.
(Hardy et al., 2025). 

The ARISTOCRAT trial – UK, ongoing

The ARISTOCRAT trial, led by the University of Leeds and the University of Birmingham, is testing nabiximols (Sativex),  a balanced THC:CBD oral spray, alongside standard chemotherapy for people with recurrent glioblastoma. Early data suggests the treatment is well tolerated. The study aims to understand whether adding cannabinoids could improve survival.
(University of Leeds, 2021; The Brain Tumour Charity, 2023; BMC Cancer trial protocol, University of Birmingham, 2023)

Together, these studies show that research is progressing, but there is still no clear evidence that cannabinoids improve cancer outcomes.

What we still need to understand

There are still important questions to answer:

• Which cannabinoids (natural or synthetic) might be most effective?
• What doses are safe and meaningful?
• Which cancer types, if any, might respond?
• How do cannabinoids interact with existing treatments like chemotherapy or immunotherapy?

Until large, well-controlled clinical trials can answer these questions, cannabis cannot be recommended as a cancer treatment.

The bottom line

There’s currently no reliable evidence that cannabis or cannabis oil can treat or cure cancer.
Some cannabinoids may help manage symptoms such as pain, sickness or appetite loss, but always under clinical supervision.

For anyone considering CBD or cannabis-based products, the safest step is to talk to a GP or oncology specialist first. They can help review what’s evidence-based, what’s safe, and what may interfere with ongoing treatment.

Because every informed choice, and every early conversation,gives patients back control, confidence and clarity.

References

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Hardy JR, Greer RM, Pelecanos A, et al. (2025). Medicinal cannabis for symptom control in advanced cancer: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised clinical trial of 1:1 tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol. Supportive Care in Cancer. DOI: 10.1007/s00520-025-09763-5

University of Leeds (2021). World-first trial tests cannabis-based drug on aggressive brain tumours. Leeds.ac.uk

The Brain Tumour Charity (2023). ARISTOCRAT: a pioneering trial using a cannabinoid-based drug to treat brain tumours. thebraintumourcharity.org

University of Birmingham (2023). A randomised phase II trial of temozolomide with or without cannabinoids in patients with recurrent glioblastoma (ARISTOCRAT). BMC Cancer protocol. birmingham.ac.uk

Cancer Research UK (2023). Cannabinoids and cancer: what we know. news.cancerresearchuk.org

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In primary care, time matters. Every consultation, every click, and every decision can shape a patient’s outcome - especially when it comes to cancer.

That’s why C the Signs has been designed to integrate seamlessly with EMIS and SystmOne, enabling GPs to detect cancer earlier without adding extra steps to their daily workflow.

Integration That Fits Naturally Into Primary Care

For most GPs, EMIS and SystmOne are the backbone of daily practice - holding every patient’s medical history, symptoms, and risk factors. C the Signs connects directly into these systems, transforming that information into real-time, actionable insight.

Through this integration, clinicians can:

• Instantly access C the Signs from within EMIS or SystmOne
• Automatically analyse patient symptoms, demographics, and clinical data
• Receive immediate, evidence-based guidance on cancer risk and next steps
  

No extra software. No switching screens. No duplicate data entry. Just faster, smarter decision-making - at the point of care.

Reducing the Time to Diagnosis

C the Signs is built to make early diagnosis simple, safe, and scalable. By embedding directly into the GP’s existing system, it eliminates delays that often occur when technology sits outside the electronic medical record.

This seamless workflow means:

• Referrals can be generated instantly, including under the Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS), formerly known as the two-week wait (2WW).
• Patient data flows automatically, avoiding missed information or transcription errors.
• Audit trails and outcomes are logged for research, safety, and quality improvement.
  

In practices where C the Signs is live, clinicians are already finding cancer faster and more accurately - with earlier referrals, improved outcomes, and a reduced administrative burden.

Driving Early Diagnosis Across the NHS

C the Signs integrates directly with:

• EMIS Web - used by around 70% of GP practices in England
• SystmOne - supporting thousands of GP practices, community services, and hospitals
  

Together, these integrations make the platform available to millions of patients across the NHS — turning data into action and ensuring that every GP, regardless of location, has access to the same level of intelligent support.

Seamless, Safe, and Clinically Validated

Every integration is developed and maintained in line with:

• NHS Digital standards
• Clinical Safety DCB0129/0160 accreditation
• Information Governance and GDPR compliance
  

This ensures that C the Signs operates to the highest standards of clinical safety, patient privacy, and system performance — delivering technology clinicians can trust.

Real Impact, Real Patients

“The ability to use C the Signs directly in EMIS has completely changed how quickly I can act.

I can review a patient’s symptoms, get the cancer risk assessment instantly, and make the referral — all in one place.”

— GP, South East England

Every integration helps remove barriers between data and diagnosis - giving clinicians back time and patients back their best chance of survival.

About C the Signs

C the Signs is an AI-powered clinical platform that helps healthcare professionals identify patients at risk of cancer earlier, faster, and more accurately.

Founded by NHS doctors, the platform analyses over 100 cancer types using evidence-based algorithms and integrates directly into GP workflows through EMIS, SystmOne, and Vision.

By embedding early detection tools into everyday care, C the Signs is helping achieve the NHS’s ambition:

75% of cancers diagnosed at stage 1 or 2 by 2028.

Every minute counts when it comes to cancer.
For most patients, early detection means faster treatment, better outcomes, and more lives saved.

Yet for GPs, recognising which of the thousands of daily symptoms could indicate cancer isn’t simple. That’s where C the Signs comes in - an AI-powered clinical platform that helps healthcare professionals identify patients at risk of cancer earlier, faster, and more accurately.

The Challenge: Spotting the Earliest Signs of Cancer

Cancer rarely looks the same twice. Two patients with the same disease can present in completely different ways - fatigue in one, back pain in another.

With over 100 cancer types and countless symptom combinations, even the most experienced GP can face uncertainty.

Traditional guidelines can be fragmented or difficult to navigate in a busy primary care setting.
C the Signs bridges that gap - bringing together national guidance, clinical research, and local pathways into one intelligent platform that supports decision-making in real time.

The Solution: AI-Driven Clinical Support

C the Signs analyses patient data, demographics, risk factors, and symptoms to calculate the probability of cancer - then guides the GP to the right next step.

It doesn’t replace clinical judgement.
It enhances it.

Here’s how it works in real time:

1. Input – The GP enters symptoms, risk factors, or test results directly within EMIS, SystmOne, or Vision.
2. Analyse – The platform’s AI interprets this data using national guidelines, research evidence, and validated clinical pathways.
3. Act – Within seconds, C the Signs provides a clear recommendation - suggesting the most appropriate referral, investigation, or next action, tailored to each individual patient.

Everything happens seamlessly, within the GP’s existing workflow - saving valuable time and ensuring no symptom is overlooked.

Built on Evidence, Backed by Research

C the Signs doesn’t guess - it’s grounded in science.

Our algorithms are validated against national cancer guidelines and peer-reviewed research, and informed by real-world data from NHS England partners, Cancer Alliances, and Health Innovation Networks.

Every insight is continually refined through clinical feedback and new evidence, ensuring the platform remains aligned with the most up-to-date pathways in early diagnosis.

Seamless Integration with NHS Systems

Time is one of the most valuable resources in primary care.
That’s why C the Signs integrates directly with EMIS, SystmOne, and Vision, requiring no extra logins or manual data entry.

The platform works where GPs already work, making early detection faster, simpler, and more efficient.

Improving Early Detection Across the NHS

C the Signs is now used by over 10,000 healthcare professionals across 1,500 GP practices, supporting early cancer detection nationwide.

Independent evaluations and NHS-led studies have shown that practices using C the Signs achieve:

• Higher rates of two-week-wait referrals
• Faster time to diagnosis (a 21% reduction in diagnostic delays)
• More cancers diagnosed in primary care
• Fewer emergency presentations

By identifying patients earlier, C the Signs is helping the NHS move closer to its 2028 ambition - diagnosing 75% of cancers at stage 1 or 2.

Supporting Clinicians. Empowering Patients.

C the Signs is more than a platform - it’s a partner in early diagnosis.

By giving clinicians the confidence to act on subtle patterns and helping patients reach testing sooner, we’re redefining what’s possible in cancer care.

“Every early diagnosis is a life changed - and that’s what drives us.”

At the inaugural C the Signs Conference, Dr Miles Payling - Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer - delivered a message that captured the heart of a movement reshaping how the world detects cancer.

He spoke about science, yes. But more importantly, he spoke about people. About time. About the moments we can give back when cancer is found sooner.

“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.”

Where it began - the question that changed everything

Miles shared the story that shaped the mission behind C the Signs.
As an NHS doctor, he met a patient named Joe - active, fit, and 60 years old. After several GP (primary care) visits with vague symptoms, Joe arrived at hospital jaundiced and unwell. 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 question became the foundation of C the Signs - a platform built to help clinicians detect cancer early enough to change the outcome.

Today, that vision makes a measurable difference: a patient with cancer detected every 22 minutes.

Each one represents a life identified sooner - and a future that’s less defined by fear.

Why early detection still falls short

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Survival still depends heavily on the stage at diagnosis.

• Breast cancer five-year survival falls from 97.9% at stage 1 to 26.2% at stage 4.
• Bowel cancer falls from 91.7% to 10.3%.
• Yet only around 58% of patients are diagnosed at an early stage.

In primary care - where most people first seek help - clinicians face enormous pressures:
brief consultations, complex presentations, thousands of patients, and on average only a handful of cancer diagnoses each year. As Miles said in his conference speech:

“The problem isn’t people. It’s knowledge. We need to give every GP the power of precision - instantly.”

Early detection doesn’t fail because clinicians aren’t trying.It fails because cancer is complex, symptoms are subtle, and the time to make sense of them is short.Our platform exists to bridge that gap - giving clinicians clarity in the moments that matter most.

Innovation and redefining what’s possible

C the Signs brings together trusted medical evidence, real-time data and AI-powered insight to support clinicians in moments where clarity matters most. Within seconds, our platform can highlight when a patient may be at risk and guide their doctor toward the right diagnostic pathway - across more than 100 cancer types.

But the impact isn’t defined by speed.
It’s defined by the lives reached sooner.

Real-world evaluations across the NHS have shown that clinicians using C the Signs are able to:

• identify almost all patients who have cancer
• safely rule out risk when symptoms are more likely to be benign
• understand where a tumour may have started with remarkable accuracy
• reduce emergency cancer presentations by half
• shorten the time it takes for patients to reach a diagnosis

Each of these outcomes represents something deeply human:
a patient getting answers earlier,
a family spared uncertainty,
a healthcare system given space to care, not catch up.

This is what innovation should do - not replace people, but empower them to see what’s hardest to see, and act when it matters most.

The movement and honouring Jess’s Rule

Miles closed by sharing the story of Jessica Brady - a 27-year-old whose symptoms were subtle, persistent and easy to misinterpret. Despite several visits to her doctor, her cancer was found too late.
Her loss is felt deeply, not only by those who loved her, but by clinicians across the country who want every patient to be seen in time.

To honour her legacy, our team is introducing Jess’s Rule - a safeguard within the platform that gently alerts clinicians when a patient returns multiple times with unresolved symptoms, prompting a thoughtful, timely cancer risk assessment.

It’s a small change with a profound purpose: to make sure no patient is ever unintentionally overlooked,
and no pattern is missed simply because symptoms are subtle.

As Miles said:

“We can turn tragedy into transformation — by ensuring that no patient is ever overlooked again.”

Jess’s story is a reminder of why this movement matters. Together, we can help make early cancer detection a standard for everyone - not a privilege for a few - and give each person the time, choice and hope they deserve.