Search the hub
Showing results for tags 'Cancer'.
Found 545 results
-
News Article
Blood test to detect 50 types of cancer could be given to 1m people on NHS
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A blood test which can detect 50 cancers before symptoms start to show could be offered to a million people in a pilot programme from next summer, according to the head of the NHS. Amanda Pritchard, NHS chief executive, said the Galleri test has the potential to “transform cancer care forever”, according to reports. The liquid biopsy detects tiny fragments of tumour DNA in the bloodstream and alerts doctors as to whether a cancer signal has been detected and predicts where in the body that signal may have originated. If early results are successful, a pilot screening programme involving one million patients over two years is scheduled to begin next summer. The test is expected to find 5,000 potential cases of the disease every year. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 15 June 2023 -
News Article
Many more women now beating early breast cancer
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Most women with early breast cancer now beat the disease thanks to huge improvements in treatments in recent years, a BMJ analysis has found. Their risk of dying within five years of diagnosis is estimated to be around 5% - down from 14% in the 1990s. The BMJ analysis tracked more than half a million women with early, invasive breast cancer - mostly stage one and two - diagnosed in the 1990s, 2000s and between 2010 and 2015. It found the prognosis for nearly all women "has improved substantially since the 1990s", with most becoming long-term cancer survivors. And based on those trends, the researchers behind the Oxford University-led study say women diagnosed today also have a much lower risk. "That's good news - and reassuring for clinicians and patients," oncologist and lead researcher Prof Carolyn Taylor says. Cancer Research UK says this offers "reassurance" to many women but warns more highly-trained staff are needed to meet rising demand. Read full story Source: BMJ, 14 June 2023 -
Event
Busting prostate cancer myths
Patient-Safety-Learning posted an event in Community Calendar
untilJoin Prostate Cancer UK to hear from men with lived experience as we explore the truth behind common prostate cancer myths. Together with our Specialist Nurses, we'll be answering questions and offering advice on tackling difficult subject matters with your loved ones, ensuring they understand the facts. Together, we can help men understand their risk of prostate cancer and save lives. Register for the webinar -
News ArticleInquests will be held into the deaths of at least 36 patients – and potentially dozens more – treated by the jailed former breast surgeon Ian Paterson. As the fallout of one of the most horrific medical scandals in the history of the NHS continues, a pre-inquest review hearing at Birmingham and Solihull coroner’s court on Friday heard that 417 of Paterson’s cases where breast cancer was listed as the immediate cause of death had been examined. Paterson, who attended the hearing remotely from prison, was sentenced to 15 years in jail in 2017, later increased to 20 years, for carrying out needless surgery on patients who were left traumatised and scarred. Inquests have been confirmed in 36 cases, with a further 21 cases deemed likely to need an inquest after “preliminary” investigations. Another 36 cases are still to be reviewed. The judge Richard Foster said a further 130 cases had been reported to the coroner where breast cancer was listed as contributing to death. A review of a selection of those cases was being carried out and a decision on whether they should all be reviewed would be made on its completion, he said. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 9 June 3023
-
Content ArticleThe U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recently changed its recommendations for all women to get screened for breast cancer every other year starting at age 40 instead of 50. Wanda Nicholson, USPSTF Vice Chair and professor at George Washington University said the updated recommendations “will save more lives among all women.” However, time and time again, the evidence shows that screening healthy women using mammograms in fact, does not save lives. Dr Maryanne Demasi discusses the evidence.
-
Content ArticleIn this BMJ opinion piece, Consultant Orthopaedic surgeon Scarlett McNally writes about the need for a new approach to preventing long-term conditions and providing healthcare for patients with multiple conditions. She highlights the importance of Government policy in promoting healthier lifestyle choices and improving patient engagement in shared decision making. She also outlines the importance of retaining healthcare professionals with expertise in managing risk and complexity in patients with multiple morbidity.
-
News Article
6,500 staff gap in government cancer plan revealed
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Community diagnostic centres (CDCs) — the government’s flagship policy for recovering cancer testing after Covid — will have up to 6,500 fewer staff than they need by 2025, according to NHS England projections seen by HSJ. The workforce “gap analysis” modelling highlights large and sustained staffing shortfalls across most professional groups required to run the CDCs until at least 2025. It was released after a Freedom of Information Act request to the Department of Health and Social Care, which said it was given the analysis by NHSE. The total gap between demand and supply for the programme by 2025 is estimated at 6,663, out of a total demand of 61,152 (about 1 in 10 staff). Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 8 June 2023 -
News Article
NHS struggling to provide safe cancer care, say senior doctors
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
The Royal College of Radiologists is warning that all four UK nations are facing "chronic staff shortages", with cancer patients waiting too long for vital tests and treatments. Half of all cancer units are now reporting frequent delays for both radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Ministers say a workforce strategy for the NHS in England is due shortly. The plan, which is meant to spell out how the government will plug staffing gaps over the next 15 years, has been repeatedly delayed, to the frustration of some in the health service. In June 2022, Carol Fletcher, from South Wales, finally had her routine screening appointment for breast cancer, which was itself overdue. "It took another eight weeks after my mammogram before I was told there might be something wrong," she said. Since her cancer diagnosis, there have been more waits - for scans, tests, surgery and then chemo. "I was told that I might not get results back [quickly] after my mastectomy because they haven't got enough pathologists, so there was another eight-week delay for chemotherapy," she said. "I can't plan for the future and it's had a huge impact on my family." Read full story Source: BBC News, 8 June 2023 -
News ArticleGrail, a company that developed blood tests to detect cancer, mistakenly sent approximately 400 customers letters saying they might be positive for the disease, The New York Times has reported. Grail's Galleri test uses blood to detect cancer signals shared by 50 types of cancers and is available only by prescription, according to the report. Grail said in a statement that one of its vendors sent hundreds of letters with incorrect test results due to a "software configuration issue." "No patient health information has been disclosed or breached due to this issue, and no patient harm or adverse events have been reported," Grail's statement said. The issue was not caused by incorrect test results, according to the company. More than half of people who received the erroneous letter had not yet had their blood drawn for the test. PWNHealth said in a statement that the system it uses to send template messages to people had a "misconfiguration." Read full story Source: Becker's Hospital Review, 4 June 2023
-
News ArticleA blood test for more than 50 types of cancer has shown real promise in a major NHS trial, researchers say. The test correctly revealed two out of every three cancers among 5,000 people who had visited their GP with suspected symptoms, in England or Wales. In 85% of those positive cases, it also pinpointed the original site of cancer. The Galleri test looks for distinct changes in bits of genetic code that leak from different cancers. Spotting treatable cancer early can save lives. The test remains very much a "work in progress", the researchers, from Oxford University, say, but could increase the number of cancers identified. Read full story Source: BBS News, 2 June 2023
-
News ArticleThe mayor of London is independently reviewing NHS England plans to reconfigure children’s cancer services in the capital, which were triggered when the commissioner finally accepted the current arrangements are unsafe. In a letter to NHSE London director Caroline Clarke, Sadiq Khan’s health adviser said the mayor would apply his six tests for major reconfigurations to both the options proposed for the “principal treatment centre” for paediatric cancer in south London. NHSE London is currently running a process to decide the principal treatment centre's location. An earlier assessment put the bid from the Evelina Hospital, part of Guy’s and St Thomas’ Foundation Trust, ahead of the other bidder, St George’s University Hospitals FT. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 5 June 2023
-
News ArticleThe world must urgently prepare for a global “tsunami” of millions of older cancer patients or risk healthcare systems being unable to cope, leading doctors have warned. With life expectancy increasing and a rapidly soaring population of older people, a looming increase in elderly patients with cancer was now a “serious public health concern”, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) said in a report. Cancer centres must prepare for “the silver oncologic tsunami”, the experts added. At ASCO’s annual meeting in Chicago, the world’s largest cancer conference, Dr Andrew Chapman, the director of the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center-Jefferson Health and a specialist in geriatric oncology, said: “As the population expands and the incidence goes way up, are we really prepared to deal with those needs? I think globally, we’re not prepared.” “We know cancer is a disease that is associated with ageing, and there are a number of biological mechanisms as to why that is,” Chapman said. “What is often times missed is that the older adults’ goals, wants, needs, preferences, and issues are much different than those of the average adult. “Sometimes there’s a nihilism – ‘if you’re older we’re not going to bother’ – which is horrible,” he added. Dr Julie Gralow, the chief medical officer and executive vice-president of ASCO, said healthcare systems should act immediately to avoid being overwhelmed by the dramatic rise in older cancer patients. “By 2040, the global burden is expected to grow to 27.5m new cancer cases and 16.3m cancer deaths simply due to the growth and ageing of the population.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 5 June 2023
-
News Article
Doctor told cancer patient she had anorexia despite three ‘red flag’ signs
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A woman was “fobbed off” by her doctors who failed to diagnose her colon cancer for a year, an investigation revealed. In May 2019, Charlie Puplett, 45, expressed concern at her GP surgery in Yeovil, Somerset, about unexplained weight loss, lack of appetite and a change in bowel habits. But the surgery did not test her for colon cancer – with one doctor suggesting she had anorexia and was “in denial”, she said. She was not diagnosed until almost a year later when she was rushed to hospital after vomiting blood. Ms Puplett’s experience was detailed in an investigation by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO), which found that her symptoms should have been “red flags” leading to urgent testing within two weeks, and said she had been “failed” by her doctors. Read full story Source: The Independent, 4 June 2023 -
News ArticlePatients diagnosed with cancer in 2020 had “significantly lower” survival rates in Scotland a year after having their cases confirmed compared with the previous year, a report has found. The increase in deaths was an indirect result of the pandemic as coronavirus dissuaded people from getting check-ups or visiting physicians. Many cancer screening programmes were also paused and infection control measures in healthcare settings caused delays in both diagnosis and treatment. Andrew Elder, president of the Royal College of Physicians, said the government’s decision to pause screening programmes was “understandable in the extreme circumstances”, but added that the figures were “concerning”. He said: “Fewer and later presentations by patients who may have had more advanced disease clearly have had sometimes tragic consequences that are now being identified in the data.” Read full story (paywalled) Source: The Times, 31 May 2023
-
Content ArticleThis WHO report includes six case studies from 12 individuals with lived experience of diverse health conditions. These case studies explore the topics of power dynamics and power reorientation towards individuals with lived experience; informed decision-making and health literacy; community engagement across broader health networks and health systems; lived experience as evidence and expertise; exclusion and the importance of involving groups that are marginalized; and advocacy and human rights. It is the first publication in the WHO Intention to action series, which aims to enhance the limited evidence base on the impact of meaningful engagement and address the lack of standardized approaches on how to operationalise meaningful engagement. The Intention to action series aims to do this by providing a platform from which individuals with lived experience, and organisational and institutional champions, can share solutions, challenges and promising practices related to this cross-cutting agenda.
-
Content ArticleIn England, the NHS National Breast Screening Programme (NHSBSP) offers routine breast screening to all women, some trans men and non-binary people, between the ages of 50 years and up to their 71st birthday, every 3 years. The unfolding Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020 was understandably a time of great anxiety and concern. Culturally we were seeing strong behavioural shifts such as social distancing and a general change in all our daily life patterns. Conceptually, and as leaders, we understood the vulnerability we observed, but felt that we did not have the 'right language' and in fact lacked the relevant experience of how to address and communicate with staff and clients during this crisis. A semiotic, observational research project was utilised that aimed at providing insight how cultural behaviour was being shaped and expressed during the early onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in England. The recommendations of the project were then integrated and implemented into an action plan and subsequent practice. Semiotic analysis revealed that several factors (positive and negative) impacted on peoples' confidence and had practical and emotional implications. Eleven main codes which are belief systems about oneself and others were identified and expressed in a multitude of different ways revealing three main themes or needs i.e. Reassurance, Trust and Clarity. An action plan was developed in response to the project findings and recommendation were implemented. Effective leadership relies on situational awareness. This semiotic project enabled the authors to find the 'right' language and communication style so that they could connect with staff at the time of crisis.
-
Content ArticleThe Department of Health and Social Care is seeking views and ideas on how to prevent, diagnose, treat and manage the six major groups of health conditions that most affect the population in England. These are: cancers cardiovascular disease, including stroke and diabetes chronic respiratory diseases dementia mental ill health musculoskeletal disorders The views and ideas gathered will inform the priorities and actions in the major conditions strategy. The consultation will close at 11:59pm on 27 June 2023.
-
News Article
Quick blood tests to spot cancer: will they help or harm patients?
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Investors are pouring billions into companies claiming they can analyse DNA to find the disease early. But some scientists question if they really work. A pioneering group of people in the US and UK who have elected to take part in a new form of cancer screening known as multi-cancer early detection tests (MCED). The tests use gene sequencing or other novel technologies to detect fragments of DNA expelled by cancerous cells which circulate in people’s blood, allowing the identification of multiple types of cancer from a single blood draw. They have been hailed as “revolutionary” and “cutting edge” by British and US health chiefs. Health bodies in both nations have set up MCED clinical trials in the hope that the tests can be rolled out to the population at large. The UK’s NHS is participating in a clinical trial of the Galleri test involving 140,000 patients. But not everyone is convinced the tests live up to the hype. Several health experts and scientists told the Financial Times that the tests could harm rather than help some patients due to risks associated with misdiagnosis, over-diagnosis and over-treatment. Read full story (paywalled) Source: The Financial Times, 17 May 2023 -
News Article
‘Pathetic and dishonest’: trust’s deputy CEO blasts NHSE approach to cancer
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
NHS England’s approach to recovering cancer services has been described as ‘pathetic and dishonest’ by the deputy chief executive of a major trust. Andy Welch, deputy chief executive and medical director of Newcastle Hospitals Foundation Trust, has publicly criticised comments made in November by NHSE’s national cancer director Dame Cally Palmer, who said “we have our foot on the gas” towards reaching cancer waiting time targets. Mr Welch is an outspoken figure who has also slammed NHSE for “destroying” the morale of midwives through its “failed ‘continuity of care’ concept”, and described the potential “toppling” of the government as “brilliant” within the last three weeks alone. The Newcastle medic is the chair of the Northern Cancer Alliance. His criticism of Dame Cally comes as performance against the flagship cancer target remains largely unchanged since last year. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 18 May 2023 -
News ArticleMore than 26,000 adults with severe mental illness die prematurely each year from preventable physical illnesses, analysis by the Royal College of Psychiatrists suggests. New data from the Office for Health Improvement & Disparities shows 120,273 adults in England with severe mental illness, including psychosis, post-traumatic stress disorder and schizophrenia, died before the age of 75 between 2018 and 2020. Of these, the College estimates 80,182 deaths (two in three) were potentially preventable, which is an average of 26,727 people each year. Preventable deaths include deaths from diseases like cancer and heart disease which could have been prevented with earlier detection and treatment or lifestyle changes. While adults with severe mental illness are more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviours like smoking and drinking alcohol excessively, they are also less likely to access screening and treatment for a range of reasons including stigma associated with having a mental illness. While cancer is the leading cause of premature death among those with a severe mental illness, it also significantly increases the risk of dying before the age of 75 across a range of physical health conditions. Adults with severe mental illness are on average: 6.6 times more likely to die prematurely from respiratory disease 6.5 times more likely to die prematurely from liver disease 4.1 times more likely to die prematurely from cardiovascular disease 2.3 times more likely to die prematurely from cancer. Read full story Source: Royal College of Psychiatrists, 17 May 2023
-
EventuntilEarly diagnosis and treatment are critical in extending the lives of those living with cancer and improving their quality of life. However, a number of national performance standards around diagnosis and waiting times for cancer care have not been met for several years. The Covid-19 pandemic has further highlighted the need to ensure that cancer programmes are not disrupted in the future, as the system seeks to recover from the impact of the pandemic. The government is planning to publish a new Major Conditions Strategy, which encompasses elements of the previously planned dedicated cancer plan, aimed at developing aimed at developing a co-ordinated approach across major conditions and diseases, including cancer. Against this backdrop, this panel discussion will bring together senior leaders from the cancer community to discuss: putting patients’ experiences of cancer treatment at the centre of pathway design and priority areas for improvement strategies to ensure that the system – already dealing with pressures on workforce, capacity and an intimidating backlog – is equipped to deliver high quality cancer care going forward how to improve the link between early diagnosis and early treatment, and address inequalities in provision and access. Register
-
Content Article
Infopool prostate cancer patient resource
Patient-Safety-Learning posted an article in Cancers
This patient resource created by Prostate Cancer Research aims to equip patients and the public with information about prostate cancer. It contains information on: testing and diagnosis treatment choices living with side effects clinical trials. -
News Article
US recommends women start screening for breast cancer at 40
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A leading health panel in the USA has recommended the age at which women are regularly screened for breast cancer should be cut from 50 to 40. The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) said an extra 20 million women in their forties would benefit from a mammogram every two years. The change would save 20% more lives, according to the USPSTF, which has drafted the proposal in response to rising rates among middle-aged women. Currently, all women in the USA aged 50 to 74 are advised to get checked via a mammogram every two years. The number of new breast cancer cases is rising roughly two percent every year, John Wong, an internist and professor of medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine, who is on the task force, told the Washington Post. Dr Wong said: "It is now clear that screening every other year starting at age 40 has the potential to save about 20 percent more lives among all women, and there is even greater potential benefit for black women, who are much more likely to die from breast cancer." Read full story Source: Mail Online, 9 May 2023 -
News ArticleA breakthrough AI model can determine a person's risk of developing pancreatic cancer with staggering accuracy, research suggests. Using medical records and information from previous scans, the AI was able to flag patients at a high risk of developing pancreatic cancer within the next three years with great accuracy. There are currently no full-proof scans for pancreatic cancer, with doctors using a combination of CT scans, MRIs and other invasive procedures to diagnose it. This keeps many doctors away from recommending these screenings. Over time, they also hope these AI models will help them develop a reliable way to screen for pancreatic cancer — which already exists for other types of the diseases. "One of the most important decisions clinicians face day to day is who is at high risk for a disease, and who would benefit from further testing, which can also mean more invasive and more expensive procedures that carry their own risks," Dr Chris Sander, a biologist at Harvard who contributed to the study, said. "An AI tool that can zero in on those at highest risk for pancreatic cancer who stand to benefit most from further tests could go a long way toward improving clinical decision-making." Read full story Source: Mail Online, 9 May 2023
-
News Article
Barclay refusing to approve diagnostic centres that cannot be opened this year
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Steve Barclay has refused to approve about 30 proposed community diagnostic centres (CDCs) – designed to speed up cancer treatment – unless they can be delivered in 2023, HSJ has learned. Mr Barclay’s stance means the CDCs which were due to open in 2024, and which officials say cannot be brought forward, have been left in limbo. NHS England and local systems are now exploring workarounds, such as temporarily using mobile imaging units while the CDCs are established in attempt to win Mr Barclay’s backing. Cancer Research UK director of evidence and implementation Naser Turabi said: “Community diagnostic centres can help the NHS diagnose cancers more quickly, but they require capital investment and funding for staff if they are to meet rising demand. “Restricting the promised expansion of these centres will only lead to longer waits and worse outcomes for cancer patients in England.” Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 9 May 2023
