Cancer patients ‘are being let down’
● Survivors left without support after treatment ends, says charity
Many cancer patients are “left to struggle” following the end of their treatment, a charity has said.
Macmillan Cancer Support also said individuals were being “let down at their time of need”.
A report produced by the charity warns that physical problems which can arise as a result of some cancer treatments, such as incontinence and difficulty when eating, can mar recovery and leave many living in poor health. Macmillan has called on the Nhs to ensure each patient has a “recovery package” of personalised support.
Many cancer patients are “left to struggle” following the end of their treatment, a charity has said.
Physical problems which can arise as a result of some cancer treatments such as incontinence, difficulty eating or breathlessness as well as mental health issues can mar people’s recoveries, according to a new report.
But Macmillan Cancer Support said that many patients are being “let down at their time of need”.
People are twice as likely to survive for a decade after a cancer diagnosis compared to 40 years ago.
But many who survive their illness are living in poor health, the charity said.
Macmillan surveyed more than 2,000 people with a previous cancer diagnosis for its latest report, titled Am I meant to be OK now?, and found a third (34 per cent) were still struggling with their physical wellbeing up to two years after treatment ended.
Two in five said they still had moderate or extreme pain or discomfort two years after finishing treatment.
The majority of patients (80 per cent) who had physical difficulties in the two years after treatment said they lacked full support to get their lives back on track.
Former patients were also suffering emotional problems, with three in ten reporting that their emotional wellbeing was still affected two years after completing treatment.
Of these, 90 per cent said they lacked support.
The Macmillan report states that instead of feelings of elation and relief when treatment is over, patients frequently experience depression or anxiety – often as a result of feeling that they are not able to “get back to normal”.
The charity called on the NHS to ensure that each patient has a “recovery package” of personalised posttreatment support.
Chief executive of Macmillan Cancer Support Lynda Thomas said it was “tragic” that so many people are left struggling after their cancer treatment ends.
She added: “Life is often profoundly different after the roll- er coaster of diagnosis and treatment ends, with people contending with serious physical and emotional issues.
“The health and care system has a long way to go in terms of fully supporting people after cancer treatment.
“The NHS must ensure that every single person who is treated for cancer gets the support that is right for them after treatment – far too many cancer patients are badly being let down in their time of need.”
Maggie’s research lead and consultant clinical psychologist Lesley Howells, said they provided much-needed support for survivors and had developed a programme at their centres throughout the UK.
She added: “As cancer survival rates increase, so does the need for long-term mental health support for survivors.
“Family, friends and employers – as well as survivors themselves – should recognise that it’s normal to struggle with adjusting to life post-cancer, and understand that support is waiting for them at Maggie’s.
“Our Where Now? programme, available at all our Centres, can significantly improve symptoms.
“Findings show that the participant’s confidence grew considerably and they demonstrated feelings of relief from support within the group and discovering that their problems are not unique.”
An NHS spokeswoman said they were rolling out a “Recovery Package” to ensure that all patients receive the right support.
“The health and care system has a long way to go interms of fully supporting people after cancer treatment”
LYNDA THOMAS
Cancer touches so many lives across Scotland. Every year around 31,000 people are diagnosed with some form of the illness. And in any 12 months, approximately 16,000 people will die from the disease.
In a population of just five million these are big numbers.
There can be barely a family across this great country of ours who hasn’t known the pain of diagnosis, treatment or death of a friend or family member.
If these numbers are hard to comprehend, this paper would recommend that readers sit in the waiting room of any cancer unit for just 20 minutes.
Take the breast cancer unit at Edinburgh Western General. What you will see is not a handful of people, but scores of women (and men) – young and old – coming and going for first appointments, check-ups and follow-ups. Nurses comforting patients, consultants using their finely tuned expertise, all at high pace to cope with the volume. The scale takes your breath away. In some ways it is frightening.
Cancer is of course supported well by a range of charities who do magnificent work. But that work does not stop when patients finish their formal treatment. When the operations, chemotherapy or radiotherapy is over, it’s only stage one.
And this may be the most vital time of all for friends, family and employers to help. When the NHS takes a step back, this is the time for support efforts elsewhere to redouble.
A new report today by Macmillan Cancer Support entitled “Am I meant to be OK now?” underlines this. Rather than feelings of elation and relief when treatment is over, patients frequently experience depression or anxiety – often as a result of feeling that they are not able to “get back to normal”.
They have used every ounce of energy to fight the disease. And yet victory seems hollow. They are not back to normal.
Survival rates are improving. We are winning the battle to keep people alive. But we are still not experts at supporting people through the mental and physical scars that live on.
Cancer is everywhere and those affected by it are all around us.
For those fortunate enough to get an all-clear, we all want to breathe a sigh of relief and move on. But that may be the very time the understanding of an employer, a friend or a family member is needed the most.