In May of this year a roundtable discussion was held with patient group representatives, doctors and nurses to understand the challenges facing people with bladder cancer. This is the report from that discussion.
Bladder cancer is the tenth most common cancer in the UK but it has long been under-prioritised and overlooked relative to the impact it has on the patient. Those affected by the disease face a wide range of challenges, perhaps not always experienced with other major cancers, from delayed diagnosis, a lack of awareness of symptoms among GPs and a lengthy and difficult patient journey.
Professor John Kelly, head of TUF’s Science and Education Committee and consultant urologist specialising in bladder cancer, joined the roundtable discussion. He was joined by patient group representatives, doctors and nurses who spoke about the immense burden the disease places both on patients and their families.
This report explores these issues, and puts forward a number of recommendations for how to address some of these concerns based on the first-hand experience of patients, clinicians and clinical nurse specialists.
