Analysis by cancer charity Radiotherapy UK has revealed that around a quarter (25 per cent) of radiotherapy machines will be out of date by the end of the year.
The figures highlight the “urgent need” to invest in modern, accessible radiotherapy across the UK, the charity added, alongside the release of NHS waiting list data from July – which showed 9,000 cancer patients waited a cumulative 195,000 days beyond the 62-day target.
Updating older machines and supporting the radiotherapy workforce could unlock 87,500 extra appointments every year, it continued.
30 percent waiting more than 30 days
Revealed during a feature on ITV News on Friday 11 October, the charity’s analysis also drew attention to the speed and efficiency of modern treatments like Surface-guided Radiotherapy (SGRT), and the 7.4 million people that live beyond the recommended travel times for radiotherapy treatment.
Patient Alix Cooper, who has benefited from modern SGRT, praised the benefits of modern radiotherapy. Alix was the second patient to receive the treatment at Addenbrooke’s Hospital and said it was: “Like something out of Marvel Universe.”
Lord Darzi’s report on the NHS recently stressed that more than 30 per cent of patients are waiting longer than 31 days for radical radiotherapy.
Tens of thousands of days of delay
Meanwhile, the latest NHS England cancer waiting list data, released Thursday 10 October), revealed that in July alone, 9,398 cancer patients waited 195,638 days beyond the NHS’s 62-day waiting target.
Spencer Goodman, professional officer for radiotherapy at the SoR, said: "The SoR supports capital investment in cancer, including resource to replace Linear Accelerators (linac) machines in NHS England that are over 10 years old. This could address some of the challenges for radiotherapy access but critically, must include continued support for the NHS workforce. Therapeutic radiographers are critical to this pathway and so it is vital that we address staff shortfalls with investment in recruiting, training and retaining staff."
Campaigners with Radiotherapy UK’s #CatchUpWithCancer campaign warned that the latest NHS cancer data (released October 10,2024) showed no significant progress for cancer patients, resulting in tens of thousands of extra days of cancer treatment delay.
They said: “This data underscores the urgent need for action in cancer care to prevent patients from becoming more unwell while waiting for treatment. While expanding early and faster diagnosis is crucial, far too many patients in the UK are being diagnosed only to face months of waiting before treatment begins. The mental and physical toll this delay takes on patients and their loved ones is immense.”
'Turn hope into action'
Professor Pat Price, oncologist and chair of Radiotherapy UK, said: “Cancer treatment delays are more than numbers or not hitting targets – they can mean cancer growing, patients getting sicker, requiring more complex treatment with more severe side-effects and can eventually mean people dying needlessly.
“Behind every number is a worried patient, someone’s family, friend or colleague. The new Government’s NHS reform pledge and the Darzi review bring hope, but we must now turn hope into action. We have the power to change this. Modern cancer treatments and technology, such as those in radiotherapy, can save lives today.”
(Image: Professor Price being interview by ITV News)