World-class radiotherapy in the UK: right patient, right treatment, right time

Cancer patients in the UK face a growing crisis in cancer care, with record high waiting times for treatment becoming normal. This delay is alarming, as every four weeks of delay in cancer treatment can lead to a 10% increase in mortality for some cancers. The association between delay and increased mortality may be even more pronounced for certain cancers where radiotherapy is indicated. UK patient survival remains near the bottom of international cancer survival tables when benchmarked against other high income countries, and the most deprived UK populations have inequalities in cancer treatment options, including lack of access to high quality treatment and worse cancer outcomes compared to the least deprived. By 2040, the number of cancer diagnoses in the UK is projected to increase by one-third making it vital that the UK improves timely access to cancer treatment. Diagnosing cancer earlier has become a key policy and investment focus, however, a similar focus has not been given to treatment modalities, including radiotherapy. This paper outlines an ambitious but realistic vision for radiotherapy that could help address these challenges by upgrading technology and machines, providing training and development for the radiotherapy workforce, improving overall patient experience and outcomes, expanding access to radiotherapy services and investing in research.

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