Simon Davies

The chief executive of the Teenage Cancer Trust, Simon Davies, has called for the risks of cancer to be taught in schools as part of the national curriculum.

"When you consider that the statistics say that one in three of us will at some time in our life be affected by cancer, I think that's grounds for it to be a part of the national curriculum. I don't see why the government can't ensure the education sector takes that on board," he told ePolitix.com.

Forum Response: Association of Teachers and Lecturers

Gwen Evans, joint acting general secretary of ATL, told ePolitix.com: "Simon Davies calls for the risks of cancer to be taught as part of the national curriculum. In fact it is possible that cancer issues are already being covered within science teaching - there is certainly scope there.

"When it comes to public examinations, the awarding bodies all have a commendable record of willingness to make the necessary special arrangements and to take absences from school or college into consideration.

"Nevertheless, Simon Davies' central points about discrimination remain even if they are far beyond the scope of honourable mentions in the school curriculum."

Forum Response: The Prostate Cancer Charity

A spokesman for the Prostate Cancer Charity told ePolitix.com: "It's an even bigger issue. School is about a lot of things - and so is cancer. Cancer is about illness, social roles, professional roles, issues of discrimination, equity and economics to name a few.

"So including cancer in the national curriculum can go even further than just health promotion. Indeed it probably has to, as cancer is generally a disease of later life.

"There needs to be a subtle assessment of which are the effective messages when the effects are felt way into the future - a perspective particularly difficult for teenagers to adopt.

"However, in particular, we'd encourage the curriculum developers to think about how schooling can change boys' perceptions of their bodies and health, to make it 'ok' to visit GPs, or take an active interest in their health, without believing this to display fear or vulnerability.

"Down to basics, how many teenage boys know that the prostate gland is a sexual organ? If they are sensitised to this kind of information at school, in a social as well as a biological context, it'll make our messages later in life easier to pass on."

A spokesman for the DfES told ePolitix.com: ""Whilst there is nothing that would preclude teachers in Sex and Relationship Education lessons from raising the genuine concerns connected with other diseases that might manifest themselves after the onset of adolescence, it is more likely that areas such as cancer will be dealt with more specifically in the statutory National Curriculum science syllabus.

"For instance, cancer awareness and prevention would be covered within the main heading of life processes and living things that refers to cell structure and activity of organisms."