UK: Poor 'lacking lung cancer help'
source:bbc.co.uk
Nine out of ten lung cancers are caused by smoking
The poorest people in the UK are least likely to receive treatment when they get lung cancer, a study suggests.
Analysis of data from 35,000 lung cancer patients in northern England found living in a deprived area cut the chance of treatment such as surgery.
The problem was exacerbated further if patients lived a long dist
More..ance from a specialist hospital, the British Journal of Cancer reported.
Cancer Research UK said there were "unacceptable variations" in care.
Researchers looked at treatment of patients between 1994 and 2002.
This study adds to the evidence that despite lung cancer being the UK's biggest cancer killer, there are still unacceptable variations in diagnosis and treatment across the UK. Overall 17% had chemotherapy, 40% had radiotherapy and 10% had surgery.
Looking in more detail, they found that those living in deprived areas were less likely to have their disease confirmed with a biopsy.
And the most deprived were overall 21% less likely to have received chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery than the most affluent group.
This became more apparent the further the patient lived from the hospital offering the treatment - so the worst cared for group seemed to be the poorest people living in rural areas with a 45% lower chance of treatment.
Diagnosis
Study leader Dr Michael Crawford, a medical oncologist at Airedale Hospital in West Yorkshire, said to have a chance at beating lung cancer, patients really needed to undergo surgery.
Early diagnosis is key, he added, because if the disease was picked up too late, patients would be too sick to undergo treatment to try and beat the disease.
"The question is how patients get into the system.
"So do patients feel they can go to the GP and do they manage to convince the GP that they should be tested for lung cancer."
He said GPs in deprived practices would see a lot of smokers with coughs and they have to decide who warrants an X-ray.
"GPs are gatekeepers of the health service and the message has been 'don't do too many X-rays'.
"We need to make it easier for GPs to say 'you need to have an X-ray'."
Hilary Tovey, Cancer Research UK's policy manager, said: "This study adds to the evidence that despite lung cancer being the UK's biggest cancer killer, there are still unacceptable variations in diagnosis and treatment across the UK.
"It's particularly worrying that people living in the poorest areas are less likely to receive treatment for lung cancer.
"More work needs to be done to understand why this is happening and where improvements should be made." Less..
Added: Aug 23 2009 In: news_politics
By: ellhow 
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- Comments: 21
Comments - sort by newest to oldest
At the end of the day they chose to smoke -they light up and count the days.The NHS is not a bottomless pit of care-people have a responsibility to themselves and not rely on others to get them always out of a cancer cul da sac they created themselves.
Posted Aug-23-2009 by "SIR#SPITFIRE" (R)
if someone goes to the doctors & say's there scared they might have cancer & they have syptoms to suggest they've got it they will be sent for Xrays.the nhs isn't that bad. alot of people don't want to go to hospital even when there ill especially up north but then when there dying they blame everyone but them selfs i grew up in this country & theirs nothing wrong with the nhs
Posted Aug-23-2009 by "evilgumbo" (R)
Well you didn't read the whole article, because the last paragraph says:
" GPs are gatekeepers of the health service and the message has been 'don't do too many X-rays".
Posted Aug-23-2009 by "ellhow" (R)
Of couse it is their choice to smoke however it is the states choice to take at least three times more in tobacco tax than smoking costs the NHS.
Posted Aug-23-2009 by "fr33thinker" (R)
"The poorest people in the UK are least likely to receive treatment"
So whats the benefit of socialized health care... compared to private?
If you are poor you will ALWAYS be last in line, no matter what label they stick on it.
Fact of life.
Posted Aug-23-2009 by "WhopperJR" (R)
Well you didn't read the whole article, because the last paragraph says:
" GPs are gatekeepers of the health service and the message has been 'don't do too many X-rays".
i did read it but people aren't persitent enough if you went to your GP tomorrow & really pushed the fact you wanted an Xray you would get one if you went & you didn't care either way you wouldn't get one
Posted Aug-23-2009 by "evilgumbo" (R)
Well you didn't read the whole article, because the last paragraph says:
" GPs are gatekeepers of the health service and the message has been 'don't do too many X-rays".
i did read it but people aren't persitent enough if you went to your GP tomorrow & really pushed the fact you wanted an Xray you would get one if you went & you didn't care either way you wouldn't get one
So we have to beg for an x-ray? Great system!
Posted Aug-23-2009 by "ellhow" (R)
So whats the benefit of socialized health care... compared to private?
If you are poor you will ALWAYS be last in line, no matter what label they stick on it.
Fact of life.
its not always the case lots of poor people have had cancer & recovered its just that more poor people smoke in the UK they've never known any other way of life
Posted Aug-23-2009 by "evilgumbo" (R)
if they are so poor why do they spend there unemployment money on smoking **** them let them die save me keeping some lazy shit on the dole i spend my money on my family not just me i work in a factory and hate it that i have to pay tax for lazy cunts to smoke
Posted Aug-23-2009 by "THEFOXMAN" (R)
Well you didn't read the whole article, because the last paragraph says:
" GPs are gatekeepers of the health service and the message has been 'don't do too many X-rays".
i did read it but people aren't persitent enough if you went to your GP tomorrow & really pushed the fact you wanted an Xray you would get one if you went & you didn't care either way you wouldn't get one
So we have to beg for an x-ray? Great system!
when i stoped smoking i was asked if i had any chest problems & offered Xrays i'm not rich i think alot of it are some people are just trying there best to find problems with the system
Posted Aug-23-2009 by "evilgumbo" (R)
i bet you get tax credits don't you
Posted Aug-23-2009 by "evilgumbo" (R)
no i dont not a penny
Posted Aug-23-2009 by "THEFOXMAN" (R)
even if no one in the country was claiming benefit you'd still be paying the same amount of tax
Posted Aug-23-2009 by "evilgumbo" (R)
dream on
Posted Aug-23-2009 by "THEFOXMAN" (R)
honestly I doubt that kind of talk is going to help.
Posted Aug-23-2009 by "ellhow" (R)