Maintain pressure on reforms to protect NHSCancer survivors at risk of further illness
Cancer survivors may be facing neglect as they struggle with other serious illnesses, a charity has warned.
Macmillan Cancer Support said that they can go on to develop other health problems arising from their treatment.
Some 250,000 patients who live for at least five years after being diagnosed go on to suffer bowel problems, memory loss, and heart and bone disease, the charity estimates.
But some doctors are unaware of the possible long-term effects of cancer, it said.
Not telling patients about these potential problems can harm lives, Professor Jane Maher, Macmillan’s chief medical officer, said.
She told the BBC: “They need to know what is their risk of cancer coming back, and what is their risk of the treatment causing them problems in the future, so that they can do the things that they can do to help themselves.
“They should know what to report and who to report it to, and they can be assured that they can get back into the system to have those problems dealt with months, years, even decades after the treatment.”
The Department of Health said it recognised the importance of providing care and assistance for people living with and beyond cancer.
It added that it was looking at a “range of approaches to survivorship care” including individual care plans.
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