Denied Treatment?

LUNG CANCER PATIENTS DENIED BEST TREATMENT

SENSE OF 'GUILT' AND 'FUTILITY' LEADS TO POOR SURVIVAL

Smokers with lung cancer feel guilty about their diagnosis and many fail to seek treatment according to The Cancer Council NSW, which says doctors are also failing to properly treat people diagnosed with the disease.

"There is enormous pessimism in relation to lung cancer," says CEO of The Cancer Council, Dr Andrew Penman. "It is of great concern that people diagnosed with the disease are not surviving as long as they should because they are simply not receiving the best treatment.

"Smokers tend to blame themselves for developing lung cancer and many don't seek proper treatment because they think it's futile. There's also a sense of futility among some doctors who feel there's little they can do to treat people with the disease," he said.

One study revealed that 25 per cent of lung cancer patients did not receive any treatment, and many of those who were treated failed to receive the best possible care. "The perception among patients and doctors that lung cancer is a death sentence is contributing in a large way to Australia's poor survival rate for the disease."

Lung cancer patients in Australia face a significantly lower chance of survival than those in North America, prompting The Cancer Council to call for national guidelines to improve treatment of the disease. "Guidelines for the treatment of lung cancer are urgently needed to ensure patients receive the best possible chance of survival," Dr Penman said.

According to Dr Penman, as few as 10 per cent of lung cancer patients in Australia survive five or more years after diagnosis, compared to about 15 per cent in the United States. In NSW more than 80 per cent of lung cancer patients die within a year of diagnosis.

Leading medical professionals from Australia and overseas will convene in Sydney today to discuss the treatment of lung cancer. Convened by The Cancer Council, this special meeting will discuss barriers and solutions to implementing best practice for treating the disease.

Meanwhile, a new report released today by The Cancer Council is the first to examine lung cancer incidence and deaths in NSW over three decades and highlights the fact that survival rates are not improving to acceptable levels.

For cancer information, call the Cancer Helpline on 13 11 20 or visit www.cancercouncil.com.au