Well done Mick !


" NSAIDS " - non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - like ibuprofen, and especially aspirin, may either stop cancer of large bowel ( and possibly breast ) developing, and/or prevent such cancers recurring. Unfortunately it may take several years for the results of a new trial comparing patients already treated for bowel, breast and other cancers, who will take daily aspirin with those taking " placebo " / " dummy " tablets. Unless you’re on the " Add-Aspirin " trial, it’s NOT advisable to take either aspirin or other NSAID drugs in the hope of preventing cancer .



Cancer has also been in the news recently - an audit of about a thousand London patients showed that a quarter of cancer diagnoses came through A & E. These patients tended to have advanced disease, such that a quarter died in 2 months and only about 2/5 survived a year. Cancers of lung and large bowel were among the commonest types.


This may well reflect the situation elsewhere in the UK, as we know that the UK has the worst survival rates for cancer in Western Europe ( Swedish survivals at 5 years being about a third longer than in the UK ). Reasons for the poorer rate of early diagnosis in the UK include slow referral to specialists and lack of rapid access to " tests ". However, these tests take time and skilled interpretation. They include ultrasound and other scans, and taking tissue samples - requiring more investment in modern equipment and laboratory doctors / scientists.


Early diagnosis and treatment undoubtedly improves the outlook for patients with cancers. Family doctors / GPs have been blamed for missing signs of common cancers - not altogether fair, as they see many patients with similar signs and symptoms NOT due to cancer, and have to select who they refer.


Many people are still unaware of cancer signs and symptoms, and don’t visit their doctor soon enough - not helped if appointments are delayed. The situation is worse in the Philippines, where people may be less likely to understand the possible cause(s) of their symptoms - and be unable to afford a doctor, even if they DID suspect cancer.


This year the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence ( NICE ) produced new guidance on referral for cancer intended for " healthcare professionals ", but including advice about symptoms which might not be recognised by the general public. Of course the " worried well " may over-react to any symptoms they may have, but as we now have about 1 in 2 chance of developing some form of cancer during our lifetime it’s a serious topic. I will summarise it in the next post.