University of Surrey study finds Black patients and people with a learning disability face longer waits for breast cancer care
Study of more than 86,000 patients looks at delays across the full care pathway
Black patients and people with a learning disability face longer waiting times at key stages of breast cancer care, according to a nationwide study led by the University of Surrey.
The study of more than 86,000 patients is believed to be the first in the UK to measure these delays across the full breast cancer pathway.
Published in Breast Cancer Research, the study found Black patients had 29 per cent lower odds of being diagnosed through routine breast screening than White patients.
Black patients also had 37 per cent higher odds of being diagnosed after turning up in A&E or as an emergency.
According to the research, cancers found in emergencies tend to be at a later stage, which lowers the chance of survival.
Patients with a learning disability waited 18 per cent longer, on average, for a breast cancer diagnosis after presenting to their GP with a symptom.
One in four of those patients waited 29 days or more for a diagnosis, 10 days longer than the general population.
Once diagnosed, both Black patients and people with a learning disability waited longer to start treatment.
Black patients waited around five days longer, on average, than White patients.
Patients with a learning disability waited eight per cent longer than those without.
Dr Robert Kerrison was co-lead on the study, he tells us this delay can cost lives
"Early detection is very important, and particularly for breast cancer. So if someone is diagnosed at stage one, which is the earliest stage they can be diagnosed, then their chances for survival are very good, about 98%.
Whereas if they're diagnosed at stage 4 which is the sort of most advanced stage someone can be diagnosed with breast cancer, then their chances for survival are much less."
Dr Kerrison tells us what he wants to see from the study going forward
"First and foremost is some more research looking at why these inequalities exist. And then once we understand why some people are less likely to be diagnosed with breast screening, then we can take steps to try and make breast screening more accessible to everyone."
However he adds there is reason for optimism going forward
"I think one thing that is encouraging is that these are things that we can change and that we have control over. Whereas other possible reasons like differences in genetics and genetic susceptibility, we would have much less control over that."