Children and teens with four specific cancers wait longer than necessary to be diagnosed
A new study has found that kids and young people wait longer than necessary to receive their cancer diagnoses, depending on the type of cancer they have.
New research has revealed that children and young people are waiting longer than necessary to receive cancer diagnoses, particularly if they have four specific types of the disease. Experts at the University of Nottingham have found that young people suffering from certain types of cancer, such as bone tumours, are being affected by lengthy waiting periods before being diagnosed.
The new study analysed children's and young peoples' cancer journeys, from the start of their symptoms until they received their cancer diagnosis. Childhood cancer is a global health issue, and early diagnosis is a major priority in combatting it.
A team of researchers, led by Dr Shaarna Shanmugavadivel, Professor Shalini Ojha and Professor David Walker from the School of Medicine at the University of Nottingham, collected the data of 1,957 children and young people aged zero to 18 years who were diagnosed with cancer between September 2020 and March 2023.
Some cancer types, including Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH), bone tumours, soft tissue tumours, and brain tumours, were associated with a higher number of medical visits before diagnosis.
The Childhood Cancer Diagnosis Study, published in the Lancet Regional Health - Europe, was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
Dr Shanmugavadivel said: 'For the first time, we understand the current landscape of childhood cancer diagnosis in the UK.
"We can celebrate that ethnicity, sex and socioeconomic status have no impact on time to diagnosis, but there is an urgent need to focus efforts on young people and tumour types such as bone tumours that are still experiencing lengthy intervals.
"Earliest possible diagnosis is key as time is crucial. Untreated, tumours grow bigger and can spread around the body, requiring more extensive surgery and more intensive therapies to offer cure.'
In the study, the total time from first symptom to confirmed diagnosis varied widely from the same day to several years.
The average time to diagnosis was 4.6 weeks, but this varied by age and cancer type.
Teenagers aged 15-18 experienced the longest time to diagnosis, which was 8.7 weeks, whereas infants under one year had the shortest at 3.7 weeks.
Bone tumours had the longest wait period (12.6 weeks), while kidney tumours had the shortest (2.3 weeks).
The number of healthcare visits before a confirmed diagnosis was also examined by the scientists.
Most children and young people (74%) had between one and three medical visits before being diagnosed, and two-thirds (67%) were diagnosed in an emergency setting.
It became clear that children and young people, particularly teenagers and those with certain types of cancer, experience longer times to diagnosis.
'The findings will help focus efforts towards closing the gap for these groups, ensuring more children and young people receive a diagnosis sooner,' said Dr Shanmugavadivel.
'The results will feed into the Child Cancer Smart campaign led by CCLG: The Children & Young People's Cancer Association, which aims to promote earlier diagnosis, through awareness and education of the public and healthcare professionals.'
Ashley Ball-Gamble, CEO of CCLG and co-author on the study, said: 'Childhood cancer knows no boundaries - it affects children and young people of all ages, backgrounds, and walks of life. However, our research has revealed important differences in how long diagnosis takes.
"It's crucial that we understand why certain groups, such as older teenagers, or those with certain cancers, such as bone and brain tumours, are likely to face a lengthier diagnosis. By recognising these differences, we hope to work towards faster diagnoses and improved survival rates."
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