Why I fear for NHS cancer patients: Doctor says we are no longer getting the best treatments available – and those who go private are more likely to survive
- NHS pushed to breaking point with cancer care being heavily affected
- Doctor concerned over widening gap of options between NHS and private
- Estimated overall response rates to cancer therapies is only 25 per cent
- Here, Dr Ruth Kagan tells The Hippocratic Post why she is concerned
- Worked as a GP in central London for the last 15 years at various practices
Dr Ruth Kagan For The Hippocratic Post
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As a busy GP, I am fully aware and exposed to the everyday pressures faced by our National Health Service, sadly witnessing it stretching to breaking point.
With a huge spectrum of demands placed on services, this sometimes results with patients being unable to access the most effective treatment they require.
Cancer care is heavily affected by NHS budgets, and expensive drugs are a large proportion of the concerns.
As the NHS battles to provide an excellent service, it is frustrating that even the most expensive cancer therapies vary in their effectiveness.
Cancer care is heavily affected by NHS budgets, and expensive drugs ‘are a large proportion of the concerns’
In most instances, standard treatment regimens are unsuccessful in a majority of patients.
In fact, it has been estimated that overall response rates to cancer therapies is only 25 per cent.
We know research is constantly striving to find ways to improve drug efficacy, hopefully therefore ultimately reducing costs.
One example is the recent exciting advances in pancreatic cancer from researchers in Boston.
They have developed a polymer which is inserted literally onto the pancreas, via minimally invasive surgery.
The polymer can be saturated with chemotherapy medication, therefore acting locally, improving efficacy.
The scientists also report the device reduces local spread of the disease.
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In contrast with my NHS work, I also work with the private medical management company, Alivia.
Our cancer patients are indulged with exposure to all treatment options, worldwide opinions, clinical trials and personalised medicine – a logical, intelligent method of improving survival – but expensive.
I am becoming increasingly concerned about the widening gap between options available to our NHS patients, and to our private patients.
Personalised cancer care has been shown to improve prognosis, because molecular genetics and tumour grafting (growing a piece of a patient’s tumour in mice so combinations of various chemotherapy drugs can be tested specifically), provides patients with the best treatment.
A recent case study, Antonio, presented with abdominal pain and jaundice.
‘I am becoming increasingly concerned about the widening gap between options available to our NHS patients, and to our private patients,’ said Dr Ruth Kagan
A CT scan revealed a tumour located in the bile duct and the liver.
Antonio was told he most probably had inoperable bile duct cancer, and that the prognosis was poor.
A biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of a cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer) and also provided opportunity for molecular profiling and tumour grafting.
Because the cancer had spread, Antonio was not suitable for surgery.
Therefore, all hope rested with the medical team.
After just 10 days, the molecular profiling results indicated the chemotherapy suggested would be effective on this individual tumour.
Antonio is still undergoing his personalised chemotherapy schedule, which is responding extremely well to his personalised treatment plan.
Current images this week revealed there were no further tumours.
Thankfully, Antonio has been fortunate to access personalised oncology solutions which have given him an improved chance in his fight with cancer.
But many are not so lucky.
This article has been reproduced with the permission of The Hippocratic Post.
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