UK study highlights variable performance in early cancer diagnosis

A new report has indicated that regional variations in the timeliness of cancer diagnosis across the UK could be putting patients' health at risk.

Cancer Research UK has analysed data recording the stage of diagnosis in around two-thirds of all cancer cases in England, indicating that if all regions performed at the same level as the south-west at diagnosing cancer early, nearly 20,000 more patients could be diagnosed at stage 1 or 2 over two years.

By contrast, Merseyside was the worst performer, with 49 percent of patients in this region diagnosed late, compared to 40 per cent of patients in the area incorporating Bath, Gloucestershire, Swindon and Wiltshire.

Survival for some of the most common types of cancer is known to be more than three times higher when the disease is diagnosed in the earlier stages.

Sara Hiom, director of early diagnosis at Cancer Research UK, said: "It's unacceptable to see such variation across England, with some areas falling far behind others in prompt diagnosis of different cancers."

The statistics coincide with the imminent launch of an Early Diagnosis Campaign next week, which will encourage people to identify early disease symptoms and report them to their GPs as soon as possible.