New report claims lung cancer is poorly handled in Europe

A new on-line report from Sweden claims the "fragmented organization and management of lung cancer diagnosis and care in many European countries are exacerbating already poor survival rates amongst patients" by affecting timely access to the most appropriate treatment. Countries that fair best provide up-to-date radiotherapy and drugs, the report says.

The authors recommend that, apart from improving access to modern drugs, it is important to introduce effective measures in prevention and early detection. This should be done through well structured and administered cancer registries to track the results of these and other changes in practice, they believe.

Lung cancer causes between 15% and 28% of all cancer deaths in Europe. Almost 90% of people diagnosed with the condition die within five years. The researchers believe late diagnosis is the most important factor in explaining low survival rates.