Dr Liam Fox MP shows support for radiotherapy investment
DR LIAM FOX MP has shown his support for greater investment in radiation therapy as a form of cancer treatment.
On Tuesday January 31st, Dr. Fox announced Radiotherapy UK and the #CatchUpWithCancer campaign in Parliament to prepare for World Cancer Day on February 4th.
The purpose of the event was to highlight the work of frontline radiation oncologists and the wait times faced by many patients.
Radiation therapy, which uses radiation to kill cancer cells, is considered one of the most effective cancer treatments, according to the NHS website. This form of treatment can be used for:
- try to completely cure the cancer (curative radiation therapy).
- make other treatments more effective – for example, it can be combined with chemotherapy or used before surgery (neoadjuvant radiotherapy).
- reduce the risk of the cancer coming back after surgery (adjuvant radiation therapy).
- Relieving symptoms when healing is not possible (palliative radiation therapy).
However, it is recognized that its effectiveness can vary from person to person and is not without its side effects. Some of these symptoms are pain, fatigue, hair loss, loss of appetite to name a few.
To help more people with cancer, the government has set a target for no more than 15% of cancer patients to wait longer than the recommended 62-day waiting period between the date the hospital receives an urgent referral for suspected cancer and when it starts of treatment, a crucial time window.
Many thanks to @LiamFox for participating in the #CatchUpWithCancer Event in Parliament ahead of World Cancer Day where we were joined by Man Utd and former England captain Bryan Robson OBE. pic.twitter.com/8sJEKIGSgB
— CatchUpWithCancer (@RTherapy4Life) February 2, 2023
However, this is not always achievable. The latest cancer waiting time figures released by NHS England on 12th January 2023 and analyzed by the #CatchUpWithCancer campaign show that in the last month 39% of cancer patients have waited beyond the 62 day target.
dr Fox said: “I was shown how far the South West is lagging behind many parts of the UK in terms of cancer wait times.
“That is not acceptable in a national health service.
“We need to ensure that funds are more evenly distributed to take care of these issues.”
dr Fox also caught up with former Man Utd and England captain Bryan Robson OBE, who spoke about how he owes his life to radiation therapy, which was part of his cancer treatment.
To learn more about the campaign and how you can help, search #CatchUpWithCancer on Twitter.
