Dr David Linden: Patients must be offered better information and support

Published on Monday 29 June 2009 19:28

IT WASN'T so long ago that cancer was considered a killer disease. It is only thanks to advances in medical science that treatment has become more successful – so much so the number of people dying from the disease is now falling.

As the population gets older, more people are being diagnosed with the disease, but better screening programmes, earlier diagnosis and improved treatment means the number of people living with cancer is on the rise.

Macmillan Cancer Support estimates that those living with or beyond a cancer diagnosis stands at two million in the UK – almost 180,000 in Scotland – and is increasing by more than 3 per cent a year.

The impact of cancer diagnosis does not stop when treatment is over. Macmillan research found many cancer survivors suffer consequences of their diagnosis and treatment years after they've been given the "all clear".

The findings in the It's no life: living with the long-term effects of cancer report include two-fifths of patients saying they were not aware they could suffer long-term side-effects.

This highlights the need for people living with cancer to be given better information and support, not just about their diagnosis but also about its physical and emotional impact.

The research also tells us that people turn to their GPs if they experience problems after their hospital treatment. GPs are in a good position to assess health needs, but may not have the specialist knowledge of the treatment received and its possible side-effects.

We need to look at how to improve GPs' knowledge of cancer and treatment because it is a condition predominantly managed by hospital staff. The Macmillan report says GPs should be informed about patients' cancer treatment and ongoing needs. This could be done in the form of a treatment record accessed online.

It may be that cancer nurse specialists also have a role to play. They have a wealth of knowledge that could be shared with staff working in the community. For instance, on discharge, a cancer nurse could offer information to the patient and community health teams on what late effects could be expected.

If a patient does need to go back to hospital, then it should be clear who the appropriate specialist is. Again this information should be provided to patients and community teams.

With successful treatment of cancer becoming more common, we are just beginning to consider how people are affected later in life. There is, however, an acknowledgement that more needs to be done to help cancer survivors.

At diagnosis, patients already have much to come to terms with and it is important that they get the information they need. This is why Macmillan established phone help lines, as well as information services in some communities across Scotland.

We recently opened a service in an Easterhouse library so cancer patients living in an area where life expectancy is the lowest in the UK can get access to information.

Anyone who has had a cancer diagnosis should be able to access help and support at the right time and in the right place for that individual.

&#149 Dr David Linden is a GP advisor for Macmillan Cancer Support