The 11th annual report of the National Lung Cancer Audit (NLCA), published by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), reveals that despite significant progress in lung cancer care during the first five years of the audit, very little has changed since then.
Surgery offers the best chance of a cure for lung cancer patients. However, the audit demonstrates that since 2010, the proportion of lung cancer patients treated with surgery has not improved from 15%. Furthermore, this can vary across the country from 10% to 24% and this difference does not appear to be due to the patients’ background, age or stage of lung cancer.
The RCP has brought together a new team of lung cancer experts to improve lung cancer care over the next five years. The team has set higher standards that take into account the use of new treatments for lung cancer. These treatments specifically targeting lung cancer cells without harming normal lung and tissue, allow more patients to receive them safely. The team will also undertake detailed reviews in areas where lung cancer treatments are underused.
The NLCA is commissioned by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP) as part of the National Clinical Audit and Patient Outcomes Programme (NCAPOP). The NLCA aims to review the quality of lung cancer care, highlight areas for improvement and reduce variation in practice. It is managed by the Clinical Effectiveness and Evaluation Unit of the RCP, working in partnership with nurses who specialise in lung cancer care, surgeons, oncologists, public health workers, academics, and patients through the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation.
The full report can be found at: www.rcplondon.ac.uk/nlca2015
