Survey by Cancer Research UK shows poorer people less likely to see their family GP, reducing survival chances
Half of people with possible cancer symptoms in the UK do not contact a GP for at least six months, potentially reducing their chances of survival, research has found.
Cancer Research UK warned that waiting so long could mean doctors miss the chance to diagnose the disease early, which can have “devastating effects” on the patient’s health. NHS England has made improving cancer diagnosis a priority and hopes to increase the proportion of all cancer cases detected at stage one or two, when they are more treatable, to 75% by 2028. It is introducing new blood tests to spot the disease, using innovative means to enable quicker identification of lung cancer – the biggest cancer killer – and running public awareness campaigns urging people to act when they spot a symptom.