Ask pharmacist if a bad cough could be cancer
Chemists in front line of fight to spot killer illnesses
SCOTS buying over-the-counter remedies for coughs and stomach problems should be quizzed by pharmacy staff in an attempt to find out if they have possible cancer symptoms, experts say.
High street chemists could reduce delays of up to ten months in patients with cancer seeking medical help, a study has found.
Now researchers say people buying cough medicines or indigestion remedies should be questioned by pharmacists and sent to their GP if their symptoms seem suspicious.
The University of Aberdeen survey is published as waiting times for cancer treatment are the worst on record.
Researchers interviewed cancer patients about visits to high street chemists for early symptoms such as pain, coughs or indigestion.
Although these are often harmless or symptoms of far less serious conditions, they can also be signs of cancer.
Typical remedies being bought over the counter were cough mixtures, lozenges, haemorrhoid treatments, indigestion remedies and painkillers.
Most people ‘underestimated’ the seriousness of their symptoms and bought remedies without speaking to pharmacists, although a minority did consult their pharmacist and were referred to their family doctor.
The researchers say some patients’ cancer could have been detected earlier if staff had spoken to them when they
‘More likely to get an earlier diagnosis’
bought the products. Some patients waited up to ten months from their first symptom before visiting a doctor and being referred for cancer tests.
Dr Frances Notman, senior pharmacist researcher at the University of Aberdeen, said: ‘People visited community pharmacies to buy medicines to treat their early, undiagnosed, symptoms of cancer, but most did not ask to speak to the pharmacist to check they were buying the right medicine.
‘Those people who did speak to the pharmacist received advice regarding their symptoms and were appropriately referred to their GP for further investigation.
‘This meant they were more likely to get an earlier diagnosis. Earlier diagnosis means they are more likely to have their cancer treated successfully.’
Dr Notman added: ‘People who don’t get advice from the pharmacists may be delaying that diagnosis.
‘There is a community pharmacist in most neighbourhoods where people can get help from a highly trained healthcare professionals without the need to make an appointment.
‘The pharmacists can help by raising awareness of early cancer symptoms, helping patients interpret symptoms correctly and encouraging them to seek medical attention at an earlier stage rather than buying over-the-counter medicines to treat suspicious symptoms. This could reduce the delay in their diagnosis.’
The study states: ‘Involving community pharmacists or their staff at the point of sale of these medicines might have facilitated earlier cancer diagnosis.
‘Further research is needed to quantify how many patients with symptoms suggestive of cancer present in community pharmacies to understand if a pharmacist’s role in facilitating symptom management and appraisal of potential cancer symptoms would be acceptable and effective, before developing any interventions.’
Around 30,000 Scots are diagnosed with cancer every year, with around 16,000 deaths. Cancers with the poorest survival rates are lung, stomach and brain cancers.
The study, which is published in the International Journal of Pharmacy Practice, has emerged as waiting times for Scots who have suspected cancer are at their all-time worst.
More than 15 per cent of patients urgently referred with a suspicion of cancer waited longer than the 62-day deadline for their first treatment between April and June this year.
This is the highest number of patients waiting longer than the target time since it was introduced by the Scottish Government in 2012.
A spokesman for Cancer Research UK said: ‘It’s clear that talking about health problems can be tricky and pharmacists can be a great potential source of advice for people in the community.
‘More research would be needed to find out how many people may be managing potentially serious symptoms with over-the-counter medication, and how pharmacists are dealing with that.
‘It’s important that if people notice changes in their health they tell their doctor.
‘In most cases it won’t be cancer but if it is, finding it early can make a difference.’
A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘Pharmacists play an important role providing accessible patient advice, consultation and referral onto other healthcare professionals as appropriate.
‘They also participate in national public health campaigns, which includes cancer detection.
‘We want more people to use their pharmacist as their first point of access for care and advice for both common clinical and stable, long-term conditions.’