Don’t give up when trying to get your diagnosis

FINDING cancer at an early stage gives the best possible chance of surviving the disease.

Therefore we are extremely concerned that family doctors have been hearing less from older adults with symptoms that could be cancer, as they are most at risk.

It’s vital people don’t delay contacting their GP if they notice any unusual changes to their body, and they keep trying if it’s difficult to get an appointment, even though it can be frustrating.

The NHS has been working hard to protect cancer services, but the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on cancer patients has been devastating.

While we don’t yet know what the long-term outcome on cancer stage and survival will be, sadly it’s likely to be negative. We estimate that more than 41,000 fewer patients started treatment for cancer in the UK from April to December compared with the same period the previous year.

This is a reduction of 16 per cent.

With delays, there is the potential that cancers could grow and spread, so they must be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.

In the UK we face the real possibility that cancer survival could go backwards, for the first

time in decades, so the Government must urgently make sure the NHS gets the funding it needs to clear the substantial backlog of patients waiting for diagnostic tests and treatment.

It’s vital we get back, as soon as possible, to driving faster and earlier diagnosis of cancer when chances of survival are greatest.

This Budget could be that moment to help give every person with cancer the timely diagnosis and treatment they deserve.