Impact of comorbid conditions on equity of access to, and safety and outcomes of, cancer treatments

Existing research has shown that comorbidities, which refer to when someone is living with one or more multiple long-term health conditions alongside their cancer diagnosis, may create a barrier within cancer referral pathways. Therefore, patients with comorbidities may get ‘lost’ in the system.

This project addressed the impact of comorbid conditions on: cancer patients’ access to specialist cancer treatments; patient safety (especially side-effects); patient experiences (self-reported); and patient-centred outcomes (cancer progression, survival). We are doing this by analysing existing, linked national data sets, including national cancer registry data, radiotherapy and chemotherapy data, and Hospital Episode Statistics.

The project found that comorbidities when someone lived with one or more long-term health conditions in addition to their cancer diagnosis created a barrier within cancer referral pathways, causing patients with additional conditions to often become 'lost’ in the system.' Its analysis of linked national data focused on several areas: cancer patients access to specialist cancer treatments; patient safety (especially side‑effects); patient experiences (self‑reported); and patient‑centred outcomes (cancer progression, survival).' These results were intended to inform policy discussions around the reorganisation of cancer services—such as those led by Integrated Care Boards and Cancer Alliances and to address growing concerns about increasing waiting times for diagnostic and therapeutic cancer procedures.

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Department of Health Services Research and Policy