Regions denied ‘best outcome’ cancer services

AS THE Tánaiste makes key decisions in the weeks ahead regarding Ireland’s cancer services, the Cancer Care Alliance (CCA) is sincerely hoping those decisions will be right for all cancer patients and will truly meet the needs of cancer patients outside Dublin, Cork and Galway.

These patients have been set aside by the Hollywood Report on Radiotherapy and the Cancer Forum which has produced a new cancer strategy which recommends a restructuring of Ireland's cancer services. The critical concern with both of these reports is that while regional cancer units will treat the four main cancers, of which there is to be a 41% increase, regional cancer units are to be denied the "ideal" cancer site. The "ideal" cancer site offers best outcome for cancer patients with up to a 20% improvement in mortality.

Shamefully, these reports advocate reserving radiotherapy an essential element of cancer treatment for "supra" units in Dublin, Cork and Galway.