Red flag referral and screening routes can improve cancer survival rates – study

The importance of red flag referrals and screening routes for early diagnosis of cancer to improve survival rates for people in Northern Ireland has been highlighted in a report.

The study from the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry (NICR) at Queen’s University Belfast used research conducted on patients diagnosed between 2018 to 2020.

The Routes to Diagnosis report shows a strong relationship between a patient’s route to diagnosis and how advanced their cancer was at diagnosis.

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said the study underlined how essential it is that investment is prioritised in reporting on the trends in cancer incidence and survival.

The report found higher proportions of patients diagnosed with early-stage disease came through screening or red flag referral routes, with a higher proportion with advanced (late-stage) disease coming from emergency presentation.

The data showed that one-year survival was 87% for those diagnosed via red flag referral compared with 42% for those diagnosed following emergency presentation, and more than 98% of those diagnosed via screening are alive one year after diagnosis.

It also found that the two years from diagnosis to survival ranged from 33% for those diagnosed via an emergency presentation route to 80% for those diagnosed through a red flag referral route.

Dr Damien Bennett, director of the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry said: “This data is important because a diagnosis of late-stage (advanced) cancer translates to poorer survival.

“We also show the survival benefit associated with certain routes to diagnosis compared to others and found a higher proportion of older patients and those from more deprived areas were diagnosed following emergency presentation.

“Continued support and development of cancer screening programmes, encouragement of cancer awareness among the public and efforts to reduce emergency presentations will help increase cancers diagnosed via screening and red flag referral routes.”

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said: “Reporting on the trends in cancer incidence and survival is an important step.

“It is, therefore, essential that we prioritise investment in this important work and other priority activities identified through the Northern Ireland Cancer Strategy.

“This will ensure that these important activities can continue to deliver improved outcomes for cancer patients and those families impacted by such a diagnosis.”

Chief Medical Officer Professor Sir Michael McBride said: “An aim of the Cancer Strategy for Northern Ireland, launched in March 2022, was to establish Routes to Diagnosis reporting and analysis and this report by NICR delivers this.

“This project can be used to monitor efforts to improve earlier diagnosis and the impact of changes in cancer pathways and healthcare systems on a patient’s route to diagnosis.

“It also gives us vital intelligence in shaping future services.”

Dr Bennett added: “For three decades we have been developing cancer data supporting health outcomes in Northern Ireland and today’s Routes to Diagnosis report shows the need for continued investment to helps us better understand cancer outcomes and enables us to inform policies that will positively impact cancer patients in the future.”

The report will be presented on Tuesday at an event at Queen’s which celebrates 30 years of the NICR.

The research was commissioned by the Department of Health.