Catching up on cancer diagnosis

[Sweetpea]

Survival rates from cancer in the UK are poorer than in much of Europe.
One reason is that the disease is often diagnosed later here.

In many cancers it has been shown that the earlier the diagnosis the better the outcome.

Cancer patients in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales do worse than people in France and Germany.

They are on a par with cancer patients in Poland and the Czech Republic in terms of surviving for as long as five years after diagnosis.

BBC NEWS | Health | Catching up on cancer diagnosis

There are four generations of cancer in my family and this is very worrying. Despite some of the highest taxes in Europe, we have third world medical care in this country.

A friend of mine is dying of cancer. She has a couple of weeks now at most. Yet in the early stages when she went to the doctor her condition was not detected. She was told to lose some weight when she complained of her bloated stomach and it was even suggested that she could be pregnant even though tests proved negative. She knew there was something seriously wrong and yet for a long time she was just dismissed. By the time they found that she had cancer it was too late and although she had ops and chemo there was nothing they could do to prevent it spreading.

[poppy]

this beggars believe, we will be getting aid from third world countries if our health service carries on the way it is going.

[Sweetpea]

Every time I get something I cannot explain, I am off to the doc's. He knows my family history and always gets me checked right out. I am very lucky to have him as my doctor.

[poppy]

very wise, make sure you stick to it. You're lucky to have a good doctor that knows his patients, some I fear are very dismissive and off hand.