§ Mr. NormanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of patients started radiotherapy within four weeks of diagnosis of(a) lung, (b) gynaecological, (c) breast, (d) colorectal and (e) urological cancers in each of the last three years. [145760]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonInformation on waiting times for radiotherapy is not collected centrally. The NHS Cancer Plan set out maximum waiting time targets for a patient's first definitive cancer treatment, which could include radiotherapy. From December 2001, there has been a one month maximum wait from diagnosis to first treatment for breast cancer. From 2002, there has been a maximum two month wait from urgent referral by a general practitioner for suspected cancer, to first treatment for breast cancer. By 2005, there will be a maximum two months from urgent referral by a GP to treatment commencing, and a maximum one-month wait from diagnosis to first treatment for all cancers.