Streamlined Treatment for Lung Cancer Patients Demanded

NEW rules to improve the treatment of lung cancer patients in Scotland were outlined yesterday by health leaders.

Diagnosis should be fast-tracked and patients given greater access to specialised scanning, according to the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network, a body of experts from all the health professions.

Communication between specialists and those suffering from the second most common type of cancer should also be improved.

An estimated 4,000 patients die from lung cancer in Scotland every year, while 4,400 cases are diagnosed annually.

About 90 per cent of lung cancer patients are smokers or ex- smokers and the guidelines warn that only by controlling tobacco use will there be a significant reduction in the numbers affected.

Survival rates for lung cancer have changed little in the last 25 years and less than 10 per cent of patients are alive five years after diagnosis.

Professor Gordon Lowe, chair of the network, said the new measures should make a difference to people suffering from the disease.

“These lung cancer guidelines are about making sure patients get the right treatment when they need it.

“The recommendations highlight many positive developments in the diagnosis and management of this disease.

“If we are able to ensure early diagnosis for patients and the many evidence-based recommendations made in this guideline are implemented, we can help improve the length and quality of life for people with lung cancer.”

The guidelines recommend a fast-track model for patient assessment to shorten the interval between visiting a GP and being treated.

Experts believe urgent referral increases the likelihood of patients receiving active treatment and an improved quality of life.