The BBC has reported this week about a case involving a woman in Manchester whose fast-growing breast cancer diagnosis was delayed.
The woman, who had several mammogram appointments to check for early signs of cancer cancelled in 2020 due to Covid-19, says she found a small lump in late 2021, went to her GP, and was referred urgently to a specialist, but this was where the delays began.
When she finally saw an oncologist, seven months after finding the lump, the cancer had spread to her liver, and there was no longer any treatment that could be offered.
Delays in diagnosing and treating cancer
The BBC reports that figures leaked to the Health Service Journal show:
- More than 320,000 people are on England’s cancer waiting list.
- Nearly 40,000 have been waiting more than 62 days after a GP referral for suspected cancer.
- The number waiting more than 104 days has doubled since June, to more than 10,000 people.
We know that, during the pandemic, cancer screening, treatment and operations were cancelled to free up staff and hospital beds, leading to long waits for care.
NHS England said there is currently enormous demand due to record numbers of people coming forward with cancer symptoms, meaning that cancers are being caught earlier than ever before. They say that they have written to local NHS services making clear that reducing cancer waits is a key priority and helping them to redesign their care to meet the increased demand.
However, the BBC obtained comments from the leading oncologist, Professor Price, from Imperial College London, who said:
“This is the worst cancer crisis of my lifetime. The waits for cancer treatment are the worse they’ve ever been – and they’re getting worse. We have to get on and address this crisis.”
What is the impact of delays in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer?
The British Medical Journal states that every month delayed in cancer treatment can raise the risk of death by around 10%.
They say that people whose treatment for cancer is delayed by even one month have, in many cases, a six to 14% higher risk of dying – and that is a risk that keeps rising the longer their treatment does not begin.
Research has found that there is a significant impact on a person’s mortality if their treatment was delayed, whether that be surgical, systemic therapy, or radiotherapy.
Delays in diagnosis could also significantly limit or reduce the treatment options then available for a patient.
Comment
Stories such as that of the woman in Manchester, whose diagnosis took months and could potentially have impacted her treatment options, and altered her outcome, are incredibly sad, but seemingly becoming more common.
There are clearly ongoing significant issues with delays and backlogs in cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment that must be addressed.
Patient safety is at risk, and with implications as severe as what can happen if cancer is left untreated, it is imperative that this cannot continue like this.
How can we help
Danielle Young is a Legal Director in our Medical Negligence team, which has been ranked in tier one by the independently researched publication, The Legal 500.
If you have any questions in relation to the subjects discussed in this article, then please get in touch with Danielle or another member of the team in Derby, Leicester, or Nottingham on 0800 024 1976 or via our online form.
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