1 in 3 lung cancer patients miss vital treatment

Research by Cancer Fighting Denmark and Zealand University Hospital reveals that not all lung cancer patients receive the recommended treatment they should on paper, with the issue affecting nearly a third. Vulnerability factors such as living alone, being over 80, or residing over 200 km from a treating hospital increase the chance of missing out on crucial treatment. Advanced stages of the disease, other chronic illnesses, and limited physical functionality also contribute to this likelihood. Study co-author Susanne Dalton believes improvements can be made, and those with extra vulnerabilities require more support to undergo their treatment regimes effectively. Jesper Fisker, CEO of Cancer Fighting Denmark, suggests extra help for the most vulnerable and training healthcare professionals to identify those in need. The study was conducted on 14,597 non-small cell lung cancer patients between 2013-2018, which accounts for 87% of the annual 5,000 lung cancer cases in Denmark.