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February 2023 - Pharmaceutical

22% of kidney cancer patients were initially misdiagnosed: A survey of patients by Kidney Cancer UK has revealed that more than a fifth of patients were initially misdiagnosed, with almost half the respondents polled (48%) reporting that their kidney cancer was discovered when they had a scan or medical test for an unrelated issue.

The Kidney Cancer UK research, in its ninth year, was conducted by the charity between 24^th September 2022 to 23^rd October 2022 and received 652 responses. The research also found that almost a third of kidney cancer patients waited more than three months of more from first presenting to a doctor and being given a diagnosis.

Two in five people with kidney cancer are waiting for between three and five weeks for scan results (40%), found the study, with almost a third (31%) waiting for more than five weeks.

Also uncovered was that four in 10 people are also still being diagnosed with kidney cancer at late stages three and four, which has been the case for the last three years of the survey. Professor Grant Stewart from the University of Cambridge, asserted that this: "highlights the fact that the NHS Long Term Plan aim of diagnosing three in four cancers at stages one or two by 2028 is currently unlikely.”

One of the most eye-opening parts of the research findings was the number of people who were diagnosed with kidney cancer unhappy with the way they were told about their diagnosis. Around a third of patients surveyed were dissatisfied with how they were informed and the way it was delivered to them (34%) -- often by telephone.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has been subject to a plea from Kidney Cancer UK to establish guidelines on the treatment and diagnosis of kidney cancer as a major priority. 

Cancer Research UK says that its ninth survey, and the only UK-focused survey of kidney cancer patients is a "call to action for the guideline development process to address the issues that matter to patients".

Patient wellbeing

The survey also looked at patient wellbeing, finding that many patients experienced negative feelings such as fear (37%), anxiety (35%) and abandonment (29%) during the course of their journey to diagnosis and treatment, with 63% saying they were not offered any counselling to help them process their diagnosis.

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