Scotland invests �30m to increase cancer detection

By Stephen Robinson, 01 August 2011

The campaign will aim to improve survival rates by targeting awareness and screening for breast, bowel and lung cancer.

The Scottish government pledged �30m over the next four years towards the Detect Cancer Early Implementation Plan, which was launched for consultation on Monday.

The plan will aim to improve survival rates by targeting awareness and screening for the three most common cancers in Scotland ? breast, bowel and lung cancer.

The money will go towards improving participation in national screening programmes, increasing public awareness and strengthen data collection.

The Scottish government hopes the plan will lead to a quarter of all late-stage cancers, known as stage four cancers, being detected much earlier, when they are stage one.

It estimates that if this is achieved, it would equate to around 300 people a year surviving the cancer where they would not have done so before.

Under the project, GPs will be urged to send more patients for referral or investigation when they present with symptoms that could suggest cancer.

Scottish health secretary Nicola Sturgeon MSP (SNP, Glasgow Southside) launched the plan at the Beatson Cancer Centre in Glasgow on Monday.

She said that although Scotland had improved cancer treatment, detection lags behind other parts of Europe. ?More action is therefore needed and this draft plan, on which we will be receiving views during the summer, sets out how we intend to achieve that,? she said.

?By diagnosing and detecting cancer earlier, we can treat patients when their general health is better and when less aggressive treatment may be required than if the cancer had spread. This will improve survival and reap benefits for patients, their families and all of Scotland.?

GPs and other healthcare workers have until 26 August to respond to the consultation on the plan.

• Click here to read the consultation document

Source: http://www.gponline.com/channel/news/article/1082851/scotland-invests-30m-increase-cancer-detection/

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