Dip in cancer cases sparks fears of crisis
SCOTLAND faces a ‘looming cancer catastrophe’ after diagnoses slumped to their lowest levels in almost a decade.
Figures showed that the number of cases recorded last year fell by 6.2 per cent, sparking calls to establish a ‘cancer catch-up plan’.
The NHS Scotland figures revealed that in 2019 and 2020 there were 23,830 patients diagnosed with breast, colorectal (bowel) or lung cancer – down from 25,412 in 2018 and 2019.
That is likely to have been caused by the NHS pausing many of its screening services during the pandemic and patients having difficulties accessing GPs.
Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie has now warned of a ‘looming cancer catastrophe’.
She said: ‘Early diagnosis can be the difference between life and death – but things are the worst they’ve been in years.
‘The real risk is that we are just seeing the tip of the iceberg here. We should be pulling out every stop to get back on track – but instead health boards are being forced to cancel cancer operations.
‘The SNP are playing fast and loose with people’s lives.
‘They need to stop wasting time and act now to put in place the cancer catch-up plan we have needed for months.’
In 2019 and 2020, a total of 24.1 per cent of patients were diagnosed at the earliest stage, stage 1.
This is the lowest since the 23.3 per cent diagnosed at stage 1 in 2010 and 2011.
Scottish Liberal Democrats leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: ‘We know that early diagnosis and treatment is crucial to patients’ chances of survival so this raises enormous red flags for what the full 2020 figures will show.
‘The Scottish Government need to undertake rapid work to assess the scale of the challenge.
‘Then we need fresh funds and resources, coupled with a timeline for meeting cancer waiting times targets, to ensure that the knock-on effects of the pandemic do not do even more damage to people’s health.’
Kate Seymour, head of advocacy for Macmillan Cancer Support in Scotland, said: ‘It’s so important, for anyone with possible cancer symptoms to contact their GP straight away, to get checked out and as soon as possible.
‘People being diagnosed late will put additional pressure on the NHS because of more advanced disease, more complex needs and, sadly, more untreatable people – pressure right up to end-of-life care.’
A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘We continue to focus on tackling disparities in deprived areas by ensuring equitable access to cancer services through the actions in our National Cancer Plan.’
He added: ‘Since the launch of our £43million Detect Cancer Early Programme, the proportion of lung cancer diagnoses at the earliest stage have increased by 43 per cent, and by 57 per cent in the most deprived areas.’
Meanwhile, almost a third of GP surgeries have vacancies, although the number in work has increased slightly.
Public Health Scotland figures show that between 2017 and 2019 the total number of GPs rose from 4,385 to 4,400.
But the number of practices who said they had vacant GP slots rose from 24 per cent to 32.3 per cent during that time.
‘Early diagnosis is crucial’