CANCER patients are becoming terminally ill and dying because of long NHS waits, doctors warn.
The number waiting longer than three months to start treatment has doubled in a year to 10,189 — with 327,395 now due to begin therapy.
Patient, Caroline Boulton, 56, says cancelled scans during Covid and delays at every stage of treatment resulted in her incurable breast cancer.
She told the BBC: “I’ve now got stage four cancer that I shouldn’t have — and two years to live.”
Most tumours can be wiped out if caught early.
Staff shortages and huge demand mean there are huge NHS backlogs.
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Catch Up With Cancer campaign founder and London doctor, Professor Pat Price, warned yesterday: “There will be tens of thousands of cancer patients who die unnecessarily because of the disruptions of Covid.”
A Department of Health spokesperson added: “We are improving outcomes for cancer patients across England and our plan to bust the Covid backlogs and reduce cancer waiting times includes record investment.
“Our aim is to have 75 per cent of patients with an urgent GP referral either diagnosed or have cancer ruled out within 28 days, with nearly 71 per cent reached in May.”
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