By KLTV Newsdesk –

New national audit highlights delays in diagnosis and treatment for people with aggressive blood cancer across England and Wales

Nearly half of people with aggressive, high-grade lymphoma are not starting treatment within the NHS target of 62 days, according to a major new national audit.

The National Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Audit (NNHLA), part of the National Cancer Audit Collaborating Centre (NATCAN), examined waiting times for systemic anti-cancer therapy (SACT), including chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapies.

The audit looked at treatment data from 2023 in England and 2024 in Wales, with its findings released during Blood Cancer Awareness Month.

Thousands facing longer waits for treatment

High-grade lymphoma is a fast-growing form of blood cancer which can require treatment to begin quickly.

However, the audit found that just 56% of people with high-grade lymphoma in England began treatment within 62 days of referral.

That means 44% did not meet the NHS target.

In Wales, 62% of people with high-grade lymphoma began treatment within 62 days, meaning 38% missed the target.

The figures are below the NHS ambitions for cancer treatment. In England, the ambition is for 85% of patients to begin treatment within 62 days of an urgent referral for suspected cancer, while in Wales the ambition is 75% of patients within 62 days of suspicion of cancer.

Audit identifies key points where delays occur

For the first time, the audit also examines where delays occur along the lymphoma treatment pathway in England.

Patients waited a median of 36 days from referral before seeing a haematologist, while those who had received a diagnosis then waited a median of 35 days before starting treatment.

The audit recommends that NHS organisations investigate these delays to understand where improvements can be made.

The findings have prompted calls for faster access to specialist care, quicker treatment and greater access to clinical trials.

Patient calls for faster diagnosis and treatment

Blood Cancer UK, which ensured that the patient perspective informed the audit, says tackling delays will be vital to improving outcomes for people living with lymphoma and other blood cancers.

Martin O’Brian, 50, from Newport, Wales, was diagnosed with anaplastic large cell lymphoma, an aggressive form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, in 2009 after experiencing delays in receiving the correct diagnosis.

Speaking about their experience, Martin said: “Once you know you have blood cancer, all you want is to get started on treatment as quickly as possible. I was fortunate that treatment eventually saved my life and I’ve now been in remission for more than 10 years. Research and the care I received have given me years I once thought I might not have – time with my family, the chance to return to work and to take on challenges like cycling from London to Paris.

“But not everyone gets that chance. Seeing this new audit show that people are still waiting too long at key stages of the lymphoma pathway makes me hope we can learn from it and improve things for the next generation of patients. Faster diagnosis, quicker access to specialist care and continued investment in research are all essential if we’re going to give more people the chance to live longer, healthier lives.”

Calls for investment in research and specialist care

Dr Rubina Ahmed, Director of Research, Policy and Services at Blood Cancer UK, said: “Being told you have blood cancer is devastating. Once someone has a diagnosis, they deserve to receive the specialist care and treatment they need as quickly as possible. Every unnecessary delay adds to the uncertainty people experience at one of the most frightening times of their lives.

“The NHS has set clear ambitions for how quickly people with cancer should begin treatment, yet this report shows too many people with lymphoma are still waiting longer than they should. Research has transformed treatment for many people with blood cancer, but these advances only make a difference if people can access the right treatment at the right time. We need to tackle unnecessary delays while continuing to invest in research that can deliver kinder, more effective treatments and give more people the chance to live longer, healthier lives.”

‘Pinch points’ highlighted across lymphoma pathway

Dr John Ashcroft, President of the British Society of Haematology (BSH), said: “For the first time, this audit allows us to see where patients are spending the longest periods of time as they move through the lymphoma pathway.

“Understanding these pinch points is an important step towards reducing unwarranted variation and potential delays, improving the patient experience, and ensuring people receive treatment as quickly as possible. While the audit doesn’t explain why these delays occur, it highlights where NHS organisations can look more closely at their local pathways and identify opportunities to improve care.”

The audit’s findings are expected to provide NHS organisations with greater insight into where delays are occurring and where changes could be made to help people with lymphoma access specialist care and treatment more quickly.