Wasted opportunities to diagnose cancer

SIR – We welcome the Government’s commitment to diagnosing cancer patients within three weeks (report, October 2). Earlier diagnosis leads to better outcomes, but a census by the Royal College of Pathologists found staff shortages in a speciality vital to cancer diagnosis. Histopathologists told us that only 3 per cent of NHS histopathology departments had enough staff to meet clinical demand.

For the NHS, this means spending on locum doctors or outsourcing. This costs £27 million a year – money better invested in staff and equipment. Professor Jo Martin

President, Royal College of Pathologists London EC1 SIR – It is important to focus on improving outcomes for those with less survivable cancers: brain, liver, lung, oesophageal, pancreatic and stomach cancers.

Five-year survival of these cancers grouped together stands at just 14 per cent in England.

About 70,000 people are diagnosed with a less survivable cancer every year. If the Government adopted our target of doubling the five-year survival to 28 per cent, an additional 10,000 lives could be saved every year. Anna Jewell

Chairman,

Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce London SE1