NHS launches lung cancer awareness campaign

The NHS is encouraging people with symptoms such as a long-standing persistent cough to visit their GP for potentially lifesaving checks in its latest campaign to catch lung cancer earlier.

The launch of the latest Help Us Help You campaign on World Lung Cancer Day, comes after figures suggest that people at risk of lung cancer may not be coming forward for care despite lung cancer being the biggest cause of cancer deaths in England.

While most other cancer referrals quickly returned to pre-pandemic levels after the first wave of COVID-19, lung cancer referrals only returned to pre-pandemic levels in May 2022.

Cancer health chiefs are advising the public to go to their GP if they have had a persistent cough for longer than three weeks or notice other symptoms like coughing up blood or persistent breathlessness.

Read more about the campaign here

Sarcoma

The prognosis for UK’s sarcoma patients has only changed a little over the past 40 years with 55% of patients surviving 5 years.

Sarcoma is a rare cancer making up 1.4% of all cancer diagnoses in the UK with 5,300 patients diagnosed annually. 33% of patients are diagnosed over 6 months after first presentation when typically tumours have reached > 10cm in size.

Unfortunately the symptoms can mimic many other common problems often affecting younger people - 16% are under 30.

88% of sarcomas are soft tissue and 12% are bone. GIST (gastrointestinal stromal tumour) is the most common subtype of soft tissue sarcoma (20%) affecting anywhere from the oesophagus to the rectum.

How can we change this as GPs?

• By raising our awareness - GatewayC e-learning module Sarcoma - Early Diagnosis covers potential symptoms, investigations and referrals.

• Be wary of soft tissue lumps which are enlarging and painful.

• Be wary of persistent bone pain especially if causing night pain.

• Be aware that X-ray misses 25% of bone sarcoma

Call for research ideas - Spinal Sarcoma Priority Setting Partnership (SSPSP)

Help the SSPSP identify the top 10 priorities for research into spinal sarcoma, to support earlier diagnosis and improve outcomes. For more information and to complete the priority setting survey click here. For more information on bone sarcomas please see the Bone Cancer Research Trust.

PCN DES Early Cancer Diagnosis requirements

The early diagnosis requirements in the 22/23 PCN DES are:

• Review referral practice for suspected cancers
• Support the increased uptake of national screening programmes for bowel and cervical cancer
• Embed i) the requesting of FIT tests for suspected colorectal cancer referrals ii) the use of teledermatology to support skin cancer referrals
• Develop a plan to increase the proactive and opportunistic assessment of patients at increased risk of prostate cancer
• Review use of non-specific symptom pathways

For more information please see our PCN DES cancer requirements webinar held in June and also the Wessex support pack with further advice and resources.

See also the Cancer Research UK GP Contract Hub.

Cancer Care Coordinators

PCNs across Wessex are recruiting ARRS funded care coordinators to focus specifically on cancer care. There is potential for these roles to support the delivery of the cancer requirements in the PCN DES and improve patient experience by providing personalised care planning and support throughout the cancer pathway. For more details please see this flyer.

If you are considering recruiting to this role, Wessex Cancer Alliance can support you by providing:

• Job description
• Induction package
• Insight into the potential utilisation of the role

Once in post we can support your cancer care coordinator by offering:

• Training and education
• Tools and resources to support them in their work
• A Community of Practice for cancer care coordinators across Wessex

If you would like more information or to discuss the support available for this role please contact Tamzen Hogben: Tamzen.Hogben@nhs.net or join our webinar ‘Employing a Cancer Care Coordinator in your PCN’, Wednesday 21^st September 1-2pm. To register your interest in the webinar please email england.wessexcanceralliance@nhs.net

Project Officer vacancy

Our community education and grant giving initiative Communities Against Cancer is looking for a new project officer. The role is the first point of contact for the project and will assist community organisations to raise awareness of cancer with the people they support. For more details and how to apply please see here.