Nearly 144,000 people a year in England are expected to die of cancer by 2020, according to an alarming new estimate from Macmillan Cancer Support – which equates to one person dying of the disease every four minutes.

This means an extra 15,000 people could be dying of cancer in 2020 in England, compared to in 2010.

Macmillan Cancer Support says the estimate, based on recent Office for National Statistics (ONS) population projections and past trends in cancer deaths from Public Health England, highlights the urgent need to tackle the country’s ‘deeply imperfect’ approach to end of life care.

Many dying patients currently lack adequate pain relief, are not being involved in vital decisions about their care and are unable to die at home if they want to because they lack support.

Previous Macmillan research shows that most people with cancer (73%) would prefer to die in the familiarity of their own home, and yet ONS data shows only a minority (30%) are able to do so.

The charity says that if people dying of cancer are to be spared further distress and pain, the Government must invest in much-needed services such as out of hours community services for people at the end of their life, as recommended in an independent landmark review of choice at the end of life published last year.

The government has yet to respond to the recommendations of the review, which Macmillan Cancer Support says should be fully funded.

As more people are diagnosed with cancer and the country’s population grows and ages, the situation is likely to worsen if immediate action is not taken.

Macmillan Cancer Support predicts that if government does not act to improve the situation, then nearly 65,000 people dying of cancer will have experienced poor overall care in their last three months of life over the next five years.

Ian Nutley, 60, from Bedfordshire lost his mother Jessie to cancer in 2012. 

Ian says: “My mother was clear about her end of life wishes, she wanted to die at home but much to our sadness, that did not happen.  She’d been in a care home after my father died and had developed Alzheimer’s, but after unexplained weight loss she was admitted to hospital for emergency tests.”

“The X-rays showed she had terminal lung cancer but we were shocked when both the hospital and care home refused to take any further part in mum’s care. The hospital told us she had to return to the care home but the care home wouldn't take her.” 

“After hitting that brick wall, we managed to get her into another care home but when we told them about her wishes to die at home, they said it would not be possible.  She died that July and never did return home.”

Lynda Thomas, Chief Executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, says:
“It is shocking to think that one person will die of cancer every four minutes, but worse still that many people dying of cancer may not get the care they need, and that their final wishes will remain unfulfilled.”

“It is unacceptable for a person dying of cancer to have to go to hospital when they don’t want to be there, because care and support wasn’t available at home. If the government really wants to improve end of life care for everybody, then investment is vital. If nothing is done and the country’s deeply imperfect arrangements continue, then end of life care is heading for a meltdown.”

“That is why the government must fully fund the recommendations put forward in last year’s independent review of choice at the end of life such as a shared record of people’s preferences at the end of life. Without action now, thousands of people with cancer will not have the high quality, compassionate end of life care that everybody should experience.”

To find out more about Macmillan’s campaign on end of life care, please visit: www.macmillan.org.uk/endoflife

Source: Macmillan Cancer Care