Wait of up to 9 months for bowel cancer tests

PATIENTS are having to wait up to nine months for bowel cancer tests, instead of within six weeks of seeing their GP, research shows.

Sat, 15 Nov, 2008 - 00:00

The Irish Cancer Society (ICS) is urging patients waiting more than three months to contact the National Treatment Purchase Fund to arrange to be tested in a private hospital free of charge.

The ICS also highlighted the need for more consultants and extended colonoscopy clinics to reduce waiting times.

Bowel cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in Ireland.

The ICS said patients referred to the Mater Hospital in Dublin had to wait longest for the test.

It is insisting the Government implement a national bowel cancer screening programme by 2010.

Statistics show there are more than 2,000 cases of bowel cancer and about 900 deaths from the disease here every year.

More than 50% of patients are diagnosed with the most advanced stage of bowel cancer and less than 5% survive longer than five years.

Consultant gastroenterologist, Colm O’Morain, said there was a need to increase public awareness of the risk factors for bowel cancer, and bowel cancer signs and symptoms, so patients did not delay going to their GP.

He said the awareness programme should occur in tandem with the implementation of a national bowel cancer screening programme to ensure that fewer patients presented with advanced bowel cancer.

“However, the system cannot currently cope with the numbers of patients presenting for colonoscopy unless we have more consultants and colonoscopy clinics are open later in the evening and at weekends,” he said.

* Patients referred to the Midland Regional Hospital, Tullamore, Cavan General Hospital and Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, may have to wait up to five months.

* Patients referred to Sligo General Hospital and Letterkenny General Hospital may have to wait up to seven months.

* Patients referred to Cork University Hospital and Monaghan General Hospital may have to wait up to eight months.

A bowel cancer seminar looking at prevention, early detection and advances in treatment took place in the European Parliament Office in Dublin yesterday, hosted by Fine Gael MEP Gay Mitchell.

Mr Mitchell said colorectal cancer screening was supported by the European Union in the European Code Against Cancer.

“They state that colorectal cancer is a perfect cancer to screen as it has a long development stage, is a very common cancer and can have very good survival rates if it is diagnosed early,” he said.

The top five killer cancers

* THE top five most common cancer deaths based on the Central Statistics Office’s vital statistics for 2005:

1. Lung — 16,272

Bowel — 9,243

Breast — 6,814

Prostate — 5,375

Skin — 100

* The lifetime risk of developing different cancer types:

Lung — One in 35

Skin — Melanoma: One in 74 Non-melanoma: One in 10

Breast — One in 11

Bowel — One in 28