Less survivable cancers: Dr McBride continues her campaign

You may remember YourGP’s Dr McBride headed to Holyrood last year to raise awareness of less survivable cancers. After her visit, she spoke openly and honestly in a blog post about the impact that less survivable cancer has had on her family and why she felt compelled to campaign for change. This week, Dr McBride is returning to the Scottish Parliament to continue her campaign, to highlight the progress that has been made, and to call for further action.

Hope for the future

Dr McBride’s connection to the less survivable cancer awareness campaign is a highly personal one. Her nephew, Scott, was diagnosed with a brain tumour and his journey to diagnosis was long and challenging. His struggles are sadly shared by countless patients with less survivable cancers – namely delays, uncertainty and unclear referral pathways.

Significant strides have been made this year, thanks to The Brain Tumour Charity Scottish Steering Committee which has worked hard to improve GP referral pathways. Dr McBride says; “This critical advancement has the potential to reduce delays and improve outcomes for patients presenting with vague or concerning symptoms. Early diagnosis remains key to improving patient outcomes, and this is a step in the right direction.”

Dr McBride also welcomes advances in diagnostic technology, highlighting the work of companies like DxCover which is pioneering liquid biopsy innovations, which many believe could revolutionise early cancer detection. “These developments provide hope but also underscore the need for investment in research and the diagnostic workforce to ensure swift adoption” she explains.

In addition, Dr McBride praises the work of The Brain Tumour Charity which is exploring a pilot educational toolkit for GPs, designed to improve recognition of brain tumour symptoms. She says; “Such toolkits can also be created for other less survivable cancers. And such a resource could empower primary care teams to act decisively and reduce diagnostic delays.”

There is much more to be done

Whilst these advances are promising, there is still much more to be done. Less survivable cancers account for 40% of all cancer deaths in Scotland, with a five-year survival rate of just 16%. These numbers are unacceptable and Dr McBride is therefore calling for urgent action. She is urging the Scottish government to seize this opportunity to lead by example and make less survivable cancers a national priority.

Her vision is clear. She believes we need:

1. Continued focus on early diagnosis initiatives
2. Better GP education and training
3. Faster, more efficient diagnostic pathways
4. Sustained funding for innovative research and tools
5. A commitment to addressing workforce shortages, which exacerbate delays and backlogs

How we can all help

If you would like to find out more about this campaign and lend your support, visit the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce website. The taskforce represents the less survivable cancers of the lung, liver, brain, oesophagus, pancreas and stomach, all with a five-year survival rate of less than 20%.

The Taskforce brings together six charities representing patients from each of these cancers to call for urgent change and aims to double survival rates in the next 10 years. These charities include the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, The Brain Tumour Charity, Guts UK, Pancreatic Care UK and the British Liver Trust. Head to their websites to find out more how you can help to change the lives of those with less survivable cancers.