Cancer teens 'wait too long for diagnosis'

TEENAGERS who suffer from cancer have to make too many visits to their GP before diagnosis, a leading charity has said.

The Teenage Cancer Trust - which has three projects in Edinburgh - said a quarter of youngsters had to go to their doctor with health problems more than four times before the cancer was discovered.

The charity said the knowledge of GPs had to improve to put children through less stress, and improve their chances of survival with early diagnosis.

Youngsters themselves have also been urged to be more confident in coming forward with their health fears.

After extensive fundraising, TCT specialist units were created at the Sick Kids and the Western General. There will also be one built at the new Sick Kids when it opens at Little France in 2015.