People fear 'bothering' GPs over cancer signs - report

Too many people are at risk of becoming "martyrs" by not getting symptoms of cancer checked out because they do not want to burden the NHS, a report warns, which calls for earlier testing to diagnose those at higher risk.

- Denis Campbell

The report, by the health consultancy Incisive Health, sets out ways in which the NHS in England can catch more cancers early and thus save lives by becoming more of an "early intervention service". It comes as the government draws up its first dedicated cancer strategy since 2015.

Evidence has shown that a desire not to "bother" a GP is more common among those with potential signs of cancer in the UK than in other countries. Between a fifth and a third of people in Britain would not want to waste the doctor's time.

Cancer specialists have urged people with symptoms such as fatigue, bleeding and weight loss to get investigated urgently, so they can start treatment sooner if they do have it.

Failure to act quickly helps to explain Britain's dismal record, by international standards, in diagnosing cancer early. Although cancer survival has risen, the UK still lags behind other countries in identifying cases early, despite initiatives to encourage people to act on symptoms more promptly.

"People shouldn't be discouraged from going to their doctor if something doesn't feel right for them. They aren't 'bothering' their GP or 'burdening' the NHS," said Naser Turabi, Cancer Research UK's director of evidence and interpretation.