Published on 12 October 2026
Education Clinical Lead in Education at CMCA, and Miss Sonia
Bathla, Consultant Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon, Burney Breast
Unit, Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Cheshire and Merseyside Cancer Alliance (CMCA) has launched a series of podcasts exploring breast cancer care for patients, the public and clinicians.
The six podcasts bring together clinical expertise and lived experience to explore prominent issues in breast cancer care and are being launched during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
The Cancer Conversations series brings primary and secondary care clinicians together to discuss subjects including screening, genetics, breast pain, menopause, metastatic cancer and life after treatment.
The podcasts aim to make complex conversations clearer, strengthen collaboration between services and help patients receive appropriate, compassionate care. Each episode also includes practical resources to support clinical practice.
The podcast series includes:
- Breast Cancer Screening and Prevention – NHS screening eligibility, including access, prevention and practical lifestyle advice
- Genetics, Family History and Breast Cancer – risk assessment, genetic testing and appropriate referral pathways
- Breast Pain, Breast Infection and Male Breast Cancer – assessing common symptoms, gynaecomastia and when referral is appropriate
- HRT, Menopause and Breast Cancer – breast cancer risk, treatment choices, contraception and managing menopausal symptoms.
- Metastatic Breast Cancer – recurrence, assessment, management, referral and patient support
- Breast Cancer: Living Beyond the Disease – the physical and emotional effects of treatment, recurrence anxiety and available support.
Contributors include breast surgeons, GPs, genetic counsellors and oncology specialists. The final episode also features Gina Barnett, a patient and a Managing Director of a Liverpool Primary Care Network, who shares her experience of breast cancer and the challenges that can follow treatment.
The professionally produced series was created by CMCA and Liverpool brand communications agency, Kenyons & Co. It was originated by Miss Sonia Bathla, Consultant Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon, and Dr Hong Tseung, GP Education Clinical Lead in Education at CMCA. It was funded by AstraZeneca, which were not involved in its creation, content or organisation.
Mrs Gina Barnett, Managing Director of SWAGGA PCN in
Liverpool, Ms Barthla, and host Caroline Kenyon, of Kenyons
Dr Tseung said: “This podcast series is the brainchild of Sonia and it has been a real privilege to help create this series with her and the Cancer Alliance.
“I hope it reflects the strength and compassion that comes from primary and secondary Care working together. By sharing the clinical challenges that we face across both settings in each episode, I hope the series deepens understanding and respect between clinicians and reminds us of the difference we can make when we support one another.
“Most importantly, I hope it helps us offer patients not only better care, but also greater reassurance, kindness and support at what is one of the most frightening and vulnerable times in their lives, as they come to terms with a serious cancer diagnosis.”
Miss Sonia Bathla, Consultant Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon, Burney Breast Unit, Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “Breast symptoms are common – and not every symptom is cancer. The series brings breast-specialist knowledge into practical primary care conversations.
“The podcasts are designed to build confidence, reduce anxiety and unnecessary referrals, strengthen communication, support early detection and help patients receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.”
The podcasts are free to access by all clinicians and the public, using the podcast platforms Spotify, Apple Podcast and Amazon Music.
You can find the series on Audioboom here
You can also watch the podcasts as videos on YouTube here