NHS aims to diagnose extra 10% cancer cases early, to save more lives

11^th January 2015

Halimat Shode

Halimat Shode

11 January 2015

NHS England is planning to give its patients an option to choose to be tested for cancer to diagnose it earlier.

It is estimated that 25% of cancer diagnoses are made too late for effective treatment to take place.

This plan is proposed to raise the cancer survival rate of the country which at present stands below the European standards.

NHS predicts 8,000 more lives could be given longer life if they are diagnosed earlier. The elderly are most susceptible to the late cancer diagnoses.

According to the chief executive of Cancer Research UK, Harpal Kumar, the cases of cancer will continue to be on the increase.

He said: “Cancer Research UK is projecting an increase of a third in the number of cases over the next 15 years. So the time is right to set new ambitions and look at how we will meet this need.”

If given the go-head NHS aims to test the initiatives such as offering different types of cancer tests to patients on the same day and to use community pharmacists to fast-track patients when symptoms of cancer are discovered.

Halimat Shode