Study Aims

The aims of the HORIZONS Programme are to:

• Establish a series of cohorts of cancer patients to capture their health related outcomes and experiences before they begin treatment and then regularly over time.

• Maintain and develop the HORIZONS Programme as a national and international resource to explore consequences of different cancer diagnoses and treatments from the individual perspective across the life-course.

• Inform policy and practice based solutions to minimise the health burden and maximise support available.

Why is this important?

• The number of people living with and beyond cancer in the UK is set to double, to an estimated four million, by 2030.

• Rising survival rates are due to improvements in detection and treatments with many people faring well after treatment.

• However, cancer and its treatment can have a considerable and long term impact on everyday life.

• Most cancer diagnoses are in people over 65 years, and with an ageing population, and a stretched healthcare system, there is growing concern about how best to support cancer survivors (people living with and beyond a cancer diagnosis).

• Healthcare services need to adapt to the rapidly growing number of people living with or beyond cancer.

• There is a growing need to understand the changing landscape of cancer and its consequences which will help to better inform the design and delivery treatment and support.