A Lanarkshire MP, who lost her husband to a rare cancer, has welcomed a charity’s new resource which will help people check for potential early symptoms of the disease.
Marion Fellows, MP for Motherwell and Wishaw, lost her husband of 47 years, George, to sarcoma in September 2018.
Sarcomas are uncommon cancers that can affect any part of the body, on the inside or outside, including the muscle, bone, tendons, blood vessels and fatty tissues. Fifteen people are diagnosed with sarcoma every day in the UK – about 5,300 people a year.
Since the death of George at the age of 73, Marion has been at the forefront of raising awareness of the disease both in parliament and through collaborating with Sarcoma UK – the only cancer charity in the country focusing on all types of sarcoma.
Now, the national bone and soft tissue charity, which regularly hears from patients and supporters about the need for faster diagnosis of sarcomas, has created a new resource to help measure and track a visible lump.
The tool will give them information and pictures to show to their GP, enhancing their chances of referral for further tests where necessary and, ultimately, speeding up potential diagnosis.
The video features advice from a sarcoma specialist surgeon who gives expert guidance on how to measure, track and record changes to any lumps. It is important to remember most lumps and pains are not sarcomas.
One of the symptoms of sarcoma is a growing lump and, before referral to an expert, visible lumps can change significantly.
It is not uncommon for patients to see multiple different healthcare professionals, who may not record this.
And with no standard way of measuring lumps and bumps, any measurements recorded by professionals may not be consistent.
“Sarcoma is one of those things that, unless you are affected by it, you can go through life knowing nothing about it,” said Marion, who has in recent years become a key figure in the sarcoma community.
“I welcome Sarcoma UK’s new resource to help patients self-advocate, as well as the charity’s wider work on early diagnosis. All patients deserve the best chance at beating cancer.”
‘Measuring and tracking lumps’ is part of a wider set of initiatives at Sarcoma UK on early diagnosis, which are guided by Sarcoma UK’s early diagnosis expert steering group of healthcare professionals, patients, and carers.
Bradley Price, Sarcoma UK’s policy and public affairs manager, said: “Despite 15 people in the UK being diagnosed with sarcoma every day, only 25 per cent of the population know what sarcoma is, with even fewer people recognising its signs and symptoms.
“The greater awareness we have of sarcoma, and the importance of early diagnosis, the more chance we have of being able to help people when it will really make a difference.”
The resource is a positive contribution to the charity’s ongoing work on early diagnosis, says Bradley.
“If patients can demonstrate to their GPs that their lump is growing, we hope that it will help them get referred faster for further tests.”
Details of the new tool can be found via the charity’s dedicated early diagnosis website page.
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