NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

March 25, 2002

FIGHTING CANADA’S BIGGEST CANCER KILLER

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Lung Cancer Fact Sheet

TORONTO, ON – Early diagnosis of lung cancer and access to appropriate treatment are critical to improving Canada’s poor lung cancer survival rate.

These were key findings at an international forum of lung cancer experts and advocacy groups, held in Hong Kong last week. Barriers to the treatment were discussed, along with suggestions for best practices to improve outcomes in Canada, Australia and the UK.

The Cancer Advocacy Coalition of Canada (CACC) welcomes the attention and awareness being drawn to lung cancer.

"Lung cancer is a leading cause of death in the world, yet people with lung cancer and their families too often suffer in silence because of the stigma associated with this disease," said Pat Kelly, chair of the CACC. "They aren’t being referred to appropriate care and treatment in Canada because our health system does not provide for rapid access to care and physicians give up. We welcome the attention to this urgent public priority and hope that along with public awareness will come improved survival rates and better quality of life."

Lung cancer is the most lethal of all cancers – 21,200 new cases will be diagnosed in Canada this year and 18,000 people will die – almost a third of all the cancer deaths in men and almost a quarter in women are due to lung cancer alone, yet there are no support or advocacy groups in Canada for lung cancer.

"Canadians affected by breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer and ovarian cancer have seen advances over the past decade because of increased public awareness and the politicization of these cancers. Lung cancer patients and their families deserve better access to care, to basic information and to psycho-social supports so they can improve the odds of survival," said Kelly. "In this manner, they can navigate their way through the system and be sure of getting the right care at the right time. We are advocating on their behalf because all the evidence tells us these patients are isolated, unable to fight for themselves, and dying unnecessarily. The CACC is launching a campaign to lobby for change – so better care is available for all Canadians, no matter where they live."

Treatment for lung cancer is both complex and highly specialized and access to treatment varies both within and between provinces. Physicians need to address the need for early detection, a reliable pattern of referrals for treatment and faster access to treatment, said Kelly.

"We need to lessen the stigma of lung cancer and provide patients with the same resources, treatment options and compassion as we do for people with other diseases," said Kelly. "People diagnosed with lung cancer are not surviving as long as they could because they are simply not receiving access to the best and most appropriate treatment available."

Kappy Flanders lost both her husband and her mother to lung cancer. "There are few survivors and inadequate funding into research and early detection, and therefore there are few survivors, and round and round the problem goes," she said.

"I don’t think people know what their options are," said Flanders, who is preparing a community forum on lung cancer in Montreal. "People think it is a dirty disease so they hush it up – there are just not enough survivors to stand up and shout."

The Hong Kong meeting highlighted many country-specific barriers to treating people with lung cancer. Kelly said Canada’s fractured health system poses a significant barrier to treatment, as each province has its own formularies and systems of coordinated care.

"Ideally, people with lung cancer should have access to a multi-disciplinary or case conferencing team, providing accurate diagnosis and staging of the disease to ensure the best possible treatment and outcome," said Dr. Charles Chan, Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Toronto and Head, Joint Division of Respirology, The University Health Network & Mount Sinai Hospital.

"At The University Health Network (Toronto), we are fortunate enough to be able to unite many of the treating specialists at our weekly tumor board meetings. We can then call upon the talents of each member of the treating team to ensure the best possible treatment outcome," said Dr. Chan. "Although not every Canadian health professional can physically participate in this type of meeting, new technology, such as video conferencing, can help break down current geographical barriers to treatment."

Dr. Chan said another barrier to increasing lung cancer survival was the late or non-referral of some patients with the disease considered too advanced by some doctors for treatment.

"Smoking prevention has received much attention in recent years. However, fewer efforts have been made to ensure patients living with lung cancer are informed about the latest treatment advances," he said.

Today, there are new treatment options with less side-effects that can help prolong the lives of people with lung cancer, said Dr. Chan. "People should ask their doctor about these treatments and request a referral to a specialist in lung cancer or multi-disciplinary team to gain access to the treatment most suited to them."

This is why the CACC wants to de-stigmatize lung cancer and ensure there is help and support when diagnosed. "Lung cancer patients should not be marginalized and shunted aside – this issue needs an active response from the health community and Health Canada to provide equitable treatment," said Kelly.

According to Dr. Peter Ellis from The Hamilton Regional Cancer Center, a medical oncologist and Hong Kong forum presenter, the poor survival rate of Canadians with lung cancer is simply not good enough.

"To improve our survival rate, we must heed the key learnings from our international forum:

Dr. Ellis said people who were smokers or who had smoked in the past and had symptoms, or were concerned, should see their doctor and discuss the possibility of lung cancer.

"Lung cancer can be difficult to detect at an early stage. It is therefore important for people to be aware of the symptoms – a new or changing cough, a cough that persists for more than a week, or coughing up blood. If you notice these symptoms and they last for more than a week or two, then see your doctor for a check-up," he said.

The CACC is a national, grassroots advocacy organization with a mandate to make comprehensive, evidence-based cancer care a national priority. The CACC has focused efforts on increasing accountability and transparency in all aspects of cancer control, through periodic publications and public forums.

For more information about the CACC or to read the May 2001 edition of the CACC publication with an update on lung cancer issues visit: www.canceradvocacycoalition.com or call 1-877-472-3436. A copy Understanding Lung Cancer – The Lung Cancer Manual by the Alliance for Lung Cancer Advocacy, Support and Education (ALCASE), a US support group, can also be found on the CACC website.

Media Contact: Jane Hamilton, See Jane Run Communications,
Tel: 905-337-2606,

Cell: 905-466-2070, e-mail: jane@seejanerun.ca