The NHS is an institution that enjoys healthy support from the vast majority of people. However, it is increasingly suffering symptoms of ill health itself, to the detriment of those unfortunate enough to need it in such difficult times as these.
While some symptoms have rightly commanded headlines in recent months, from increased waiting times for elective surgeries to difficulties accessing primary care, there is one particular symptom that goes to a core, even existential issue for the service and its patients: an increase in incidences of cancer misdiagnosis. Cancer develops in 1 of every 2 people in the UK, making diagnosis and treatment all the more vital; what, then, has caused such rises, and how is UK medicine rising to meet a new challenge?
The Rise of Cancer Misdiagnosis Cases
One key report underlining the issue comes via the All.Can cancer initiative. The report found that not only were 20% of patients forced to wait longer than six months for diagnosis – giving any potential cancers a chance to spread dangerously far – but one in four of all cancer patients were wrongly diagnosed at least once before receiving their cancer diagnosis.
The increased misdiagnosis of cancer is not just a crisis in terms of patient and population health. There are numerous ancillary impacts caused by the phenomenon, exerting fresh strains on the NHS in the process. One key angle is that of the civil claims process; with an increase in medical negligence claims due to mis- or late diagnosis, the NHS experiences increased financial pressure from court fees or out-of-court settlements.
The Most Commonly Misdiagnosed Cancers
Cancer can develop in almost any part of the body, though some cancers are naturally more common than others. Breast cancer, for example, is a more common form – which, by virtue of its commonality, can lead it to be more commonly misdiagnosed. Cancerous growths under the skin may be misconstrued as glandular swelling or lipoma, while less obvious cancer symptoms such as fatigue and stomach pain are often explained away as less harmful diseases – leading to prostate and bowel cancer also being frequently overlooked.
Chief Causes for Rising Misdiagnosis
While misdiagnosis can sometimes be explained away as an individual mistake on the part of a given practitioner, the increase in difficulty experienced by patients seeking accurate diagnosis speaks to something altogether more systemic. The coronavirus pandemic had an obvious strain on the NHS’ structures and systems, but was by no means a sole precipitating factor.
Indeed, NHS strain can be traced back to the outset of austerity measures brought in by the government in 2011, where underfunding took root against improper management structures. The result, today, is a breakdown in primary care, and a stretched workforce less likely to devote serious time to examining symptoms.
Responses, and the Future of Diagnosis
The medical community is rising to the challenge, though, with new developments in both primary care management and medical technology paving the way to faster, more efficient and more accurate diagnosis of cancer.
Artificial intelligence is one technological leap that is lightening the load for practitioners across health services, with new AI research leading to improvement of patient intake processes. Meanwhile, medical implements like the iKnife promise to directly improve diagnosis – the iKnife, specifically, through immediately diagnosing cancer in endometrial tissue during operations on the womb. These developments are active and ongoing, indicating a still-bright future for the UK medical establishment, and a potential shift with positive consequences for the population.
