A new research report from policy research centre, Future Health published today finds widespread variation across in England in the quality of care for patients with ovarian cancer (260825 – FH Ovarian cancer policy research report DESIGN FINAL)

The report was commissioned and funded by AbbVie but with research undertaken independently by Future Health. The analysis based on the Ovarian Cancer State of the Nation data finds:

• A 22% difference between ICBs recording patients with ovarian cancer admitted as an emergency 28 days prior to diagnosis. NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-On-Trent ICB and NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin ICB record the highest proportion of women admitted as an emergency 28 days prior to a formal ovarian cancer diagnosis – 54%. NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board has the lowest emergency admission rate 28 days prior to diagnosis at 32%
• A 22% difference in one year survival rates from ovarian cancer between ICBs. NHS South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board records the lowest one year survival rate at 58%, over 5% below the next lowest value of 63.1% in NHS Derby and Derbyshire ICB. NHS North East London ICB has the highest one year survival rate at 80.0%
• A 34% difference in treatment for patients three months after a diagnosis between ICBs with a 21% estimated difference in treatment rates between ICBs recorded at nine months after diagnosis
• The lowest rate of treatment at three months post diagnosis is observed in NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB at 51%, which is well below the next lowest figure of 58% in both NHS Cheshire and Merseyside and NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex ICBs. Several other ICBs fall within the low-to-mid 60% range. At the upper end, NHS Somerset ICB demonstrates the highest treatment rate at 85%
• The lowest rate of treatment observed at nine months is in NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB at 62%, followed by NHS Cheshire and Merseyside ICB at 65.6%. Several others, including NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-On-Trent ICBs, are within the mid-60% range. NHS South West London ICB records the highest treatment rate at 83%. 8 ICBs record rates of 79% or higher

The State of the Nation report – compiled by the National Ovarian Cancer Audit – revealed the scale of the challenge facing the NHS in relation to ovarian cancer:

• 71% of cancers were diagnosed at either stage 3 or stage 4
• 4% of those diagnosed had an emergency admission 28 days before diagnosis
• Approximately 1 out of 4 women diagnosed with stage 2 to 4 ovarian cancer did not have any treatment recorded
• One in three women diagnosed with stage 2 to 4 ovarian cancer did not have any platinum based chemotherapy recorded[1]

Future Health’s report calls for urgent action through the upcoming Government cancer plan to address variations in diagnosis and treatment rates for patients with ovarian cancer. Policy recommendations within the report include:

• Investing in new targeted awareness campaigns with investment prioritised particularly in cancers such as ovarian cancer with lower rates of awareness and early diagnosis
• Introducing metrics that aim to see an absolute reduction in the numbers of people diagnosed with late stage cancer
• Use the development of the neighbourhood health service to support the earlier diagnosis of gynaecological cancers
• Setting targets for reducing deaths from rare and less common cancers, improving cancer survival and increasing the diversity of cancer clinical trial participants
• Updating cancer audits to integrate primary care data supported by investment in new technologies that can support faster data collection and analysis as part of the ten year plan shift from ‘analogue to digital’

Report author and Future Health Programme Director, Richard Sloggett said: ‘Our analysis shows that there are widespread variations in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with ovarian cancer across England. The Government’s upcoming national cancer plan must tackle the problems of late diagnosis and delayed treatment that affect ovarian cancer patient outcomes. This will require both investment upstream in prevention, public and clinical awareness and earlier diagnosis as well as downstream in increasing access to treatment. Setting a target for reducing deaths from rare and less common cancers such as ovarian cancer and improving cancer survival should be at the heart of the new cancer plan.’

[1] https://www.natcan.org.uk/reports/noca-state-of-the-nation-report-2024/