Thousands of patients with secondary breast cancer are being failed by their GPs and diagnosed too late, a new report has warned.
Research from charity Breast Cancer Care revealed that patients are being palmed off by healthcare professionals and, as a result, face “avoidable delays” in diagnosis.
The shocking report revealed that one third of people with incurable breast cancer did not feel GPs listened to their concerns about having the disease, resulting in delayed access to the treatment they desperately need.
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Breast Cancer Care warned that thousands of patients with incurable breast cancer across England, Scotland and Wales are receiving “second-rate care”.
The report revealed that nearly a tenth of people (8%) with incurable breast cancer are diagnosed in A&E rather than a breast clinic.
This suggests some people are left struggling with uncontrolled symptoms that become so debilitating they are rushed to hospital. A diagnosis in A&E is also given by on-call staff, not a breast cancer specialist, with no dedicated support available.
Additionally, a fifth of people with incurable breast cancer say despite thinking something was wrong, it was eight weeks or more before they saw a doctor in hospital.
Almost half (49%) of people surveyed said when given the news they had incurable breast cancer, they were not advised to bring someone with them.
Over half (58%) of people with incurable breast cancer did not know how to spot the signs and symptoms of the disease.
Breast Cancer Care said huge numbers of people with incurable breast cancer are “being failed every step of the way”.
Mum-of-one Emma Cairns, 43, from Wokingham, was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer in 2011. She said: “I started getting really bad back ache about four years after my primary breast cancer. Tests at my GP came back ok and I was told to get on with things. But the pain continued to get worse.
“After going back and forth and even with three months of physiotherapy, it wasn’t any better. I still didn’t get an MRI scan.
“A year and a half later I could barely walk. Finally an MRI was arranged and I was still reassured it was probably nothing. Then, after the scan I was told I had incurable breast cancer. Not only that, I had three collapsed vertebrae and the cancer was in my pelvis and liver. I was distraught.
“I’d been made to feel I was making a fuss about nothing and now I was facing my worst nightmare. Living in excruciating pain with poor mobility had put my life on hold, including being a mum – and an early diagnosis could have got things under control so much quicker.”
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Breast Cancer Signs And Treatment
What Are The Symptoms?(01 of10)
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"A new painless, firm breast lump with irregular margins is a potential symptom of breast cancer," says Dr. Sandhya Pruthi, a breast cancer researcher at the Mayo Clinic. "The cancer diagnosis is confirmed following a biopsy of the lump." She notes that usually, women who are newly diagnosed with breast cancer are healthy and don't feel sick at all. (credit:LarsZahnerPhotography via Getty Images)
Other Symptoms(02 of10)
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Another potential symptom/sign of breast cancer, Pruthi notes, is a new onset of persistent redness on the skin overtop the breast with an orange peel appearance. This would also need a biopsy to confirm a diagnosis of breast cancer. (credit:Image Source via Getty Images)
Metastatic Cancer Symptoms(03 of10)
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"If the cancer is very advanced (metastatic) then the symptoms may also include weight loss, bone pain, headaches, nausea and persistent cough," Pruthi says. (credit:pamela burley via Getty Images)
What Are The Risk Factors?(04 of10)
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Some commonly associated risk factors, Pruthi says, are menstruation before age 11, menstruation after age 54, a first pregnancy after age 35 and a family history of relatives diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer. (credit:AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)
Are There Any Lifestyle Risk Factors?(05 of10)
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"There is evidence in the literature that obesity after menopause, lack of regular exercise, consuming greater than more or more alcoholic beverages daily, and a high fat diet can all be associated with a higher breast cancer risk," Pruthi notes. But, she points out, "women need to know that any woman can get breast cancer even in the absence of any of these risk factors." (credit:Adrian Samson via Getty Images)
Can I Eat Anything To Prevent It?(06 of10)
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There are no specific types of diets, Pruthi says, but rather women are encouraged to eat fruits, vegetables, fibre, and minimize their alcohol and fat intake, as well as get regular exercise. (credit:lola1960 via Getty Images)
How Do Doctors Determine Treatment?(07 of10)
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"The most current treatment of breast cancer has taken on a individualized approach and is dependent on the biology or aggressive features of the breast cancer," Pruthi explains. "Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease and this means that are many sub-types and different degrees of aggressiveness. So staging, which typically takes into account common prognostic features such as tumour size and if lymph nodes are involved, are no longer the only factors doctors use to determine treatment options." (credit:Christopher Futcher via Getty Images)
So What Do They Look At?(08 of10)
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"Today the biology of the tumour is also characterized by molecular markers (also known as predictive markers) such as if the estrogen or progesterone receptor is positive or negative and if the HER 2 protein is positive or negative," she says. "This helps decide who will benefit from a specific chemotherapy regimen, hormonal medications known as antiestrogens or who may need both chemotherapy and hormonal treatment." (credit:BluePlanetEarth via Getty Images)
What About Preventative Mastectomies?(09 of10)
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"Preventive mastectomy is an option for women at very high risk for developing breast cancer because they are BRCA 1 or 2 gene positive or if someone has hereditary predisposition to getting breast cancer but chooses not to have the genetic testing done," Pruthi says. "It is prudent that women who are considering this surgery know their family history in detail. Based on the moderate or strong family history, your doctor would recommend you meet with a genetic counselor to go over the family pedigree and help decide who should test for the breast cancer gene, when to test and how to interpret the genetic test results before proceeding with this preventive surgery." (credit:Jesús Jaime Mota via Getty Images)
Are Other Preventative Treatments Available?(10 of10)
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"High risk women who have had precancerous breast biopsies or strong family history may also be eligible to take preventive medications such as tamoxifen, raloxifene or exemestane to reduce breast cancer risk," Pruthi adds. (credit:art-4-art via Getty Images)
Samia al Qadhi, chief executive of Breast Cancer Care, said: “Today’s report paints an extremely worrying picture. Our findings uncover the true extent of inadequate care for people with incurable breast cancer - from feeling they’re not taken seriously when they raise concerns, to facing avoidable delays to a diagnosis, or being told the news in A&E. This is absolutely unacceptable.
“Prompt diagnosis is crucial to help control severe symptoms and allow people with incurable breast cancer to make every day count – as a mum or grandmother, at work, and when making memories with friends. Yet, for so many this is not happening.
“Breast cancer is not fixed, there is much more to do. We are calling on governments to ensure incurable breast cancer gets the attention it deserves. Only then can we make these appalling gaps in care a thing of the past.”
The charity is launching a year-long ‘Secondary. Not second rate.’ campaign to tackle the gaps in care.
It has called on the government to ensure GPs have the information they need to enable a prompt diagnosis of incurable breast cancer and to ensure all patients have timely access to specialist palliative care services.