Two new studies have found that UK cancer treatment has fallen behind comparable countries in the past decade, with patients facing longer waits.
The study, published in The Lancet Oncology, found that people in the UK faced longer waits to begin cancer treatment like chemotherapy and radiotherapy. This could be impacting patients’ chances of survival in the UK.
The first-of-its-kind research examined data from over 780,000 people with cancer diagnosed between 2012 and 2017 in four comparable countries (Australia, Canada, Norway, and the UK).
UCL investigators looked at eight cancer types, including oesophageal, stomach, colon, rectal, liver, pancreatic, lung, and ovarian cancer.
Led by the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership, the two studies are the first to examine treatment differences for eight cancer types in countries across three continents.
The findings provide an insight into why cancer survival in the UK has fallen behind internationally.
People in the UK faced long waits for cancer treatment
The research found that:
Treatment varied between cancer types
There was a variation in the treatment of all eight cancer types. People in the UK also received chemotherapy and radiotherapy less often than in other countries.
The research found that fewer lung cancer patients in the UK (27.7%) were treated with chemotherapy compared to Canada (35.0%), Norway (45.3%), and Australia (41.4%).
Clinical lead for the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership and an ovarian cancer surgeon, Dr John Butler, said: “For many aggressive cancers – such as ovarian, lung, and pancreatic cancer, it’s vital that people are diagnosed and start treatment as soon as possible.
“Lower use of chemotherapy and radiotherapy in the UK could impact people’s chances of survival, especially for older patients.”
Older patients less likely to receive cancer treatment
Older patients were found to be least likely to receive chemotherapy and radiotherapy, particularly in the UK.
For example, 2.4% of UK patients aged 85 and over received chemotherapy, compared to 8.1% in Australia and 14% in Ontario, Canada.
Better survival rates linked with higher use of cancer treatments
Countries with better cancer survival had higher use of chemotherapy and radiotherapy and shorter waits to start treatment.
For example, five-year net survival for stage 3 colon cancer was higher in Norway (70.7%), Canada (69.9%), and Australia (70.1%) than in the UK (63.3%).
Long waits for UK cancer treatment
Patients in the UK faced long waits for treatment. This varied depending on where people live.
The average time to start chemotherapy was the shortest in England (48 days), and the longest in Scotland (65 days). Northern Ireland had the shortest average time to start radiotherapy (53 days), and Scotland (79 days) and Wales (81 days) had the longest.
Importance of chemotherapy and radiotherapy
Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are key treatment options. It is estimated that approximately four in ten people with cancer in the UK should receive radiotherapy as part of their care.
As cancer cases are estimated to be on the rise in the UK, demand for treatment will also increase.
As well as this, a wider range of people, such as older people with more complex healthcare needs, will require cancer treatment.
Why is cancer treatment delayed in the UK?
Although some cancer patients need time to prepare for treatment, others are forced to wait too long. This can cause people’s cancers to grow and spread, impacting the success of treatment and exacerbating stress and anxiety levels.
Cancer Research UK said that the long waits for UK cancer treatment are partly due to the UK Government’s lack of long-term planning on cancer in recent decades.
Countries with more robust cancer strategies backed by sufficient funding have seen bigger improvements in survival than the UK.
It is argued that workforce and capacity pressures across the UK health systems are preventing the delivery of world-class treatment for patients.
Chief executive of Cancer Research UK, Michelle Mitchell, said: “We can learn a great deal from other countries who have stepped up and substantially improved cancer services.
“With a general election on the horizon, the UK Government has a real opportunity to buck the trends we see in this research and do better for people affected by cancer.”
A strategic approach to addressing treatment variation
Cancer Research’s recently published manifesto, ‘Long, better lives’, highlights that the UK’s cancer crisis could be turned around with a long-term plan to deliver the investment and reform needed in the NHS.
As part of this, the charity is calling for a strategic approach to addressing treatment variation.
Enhanced data collection and increased investment in clinical audit and quality improvement are essential to comprehending and addressing the variations in timely access to high-quality treatment.
Lead researcher from University College London, Professor Georgios Lyratzopoulos, concluded: “To improve the UK’s cancer outcomes, we need to continue to investigate what is driving international variation in treatment – better data collection is key to this.”
