September 2014 report by Incisive Health, a specialist health policy and communications consultancy, in collaboration with Cancer Research UK
The report, funded by Cancer Research UK, is entitled
Saving lives, averting costs: an analysis of the
financial implications of achieving earlier diagnosis of
colorectal, lung and ovarian cancer.
The report aimed to uncover the financial implications of
achieving earlier diagnosis for colon, rectal, non-small cell lung
(the most common type of lung cancer) and ovarian cancers. It
estimated the number of people currently diagnosed with cancer
using national guidance and data sources. This included data on the
stage of the cancer when it was diagnosed (where available), and
the authors calculated the cost of treatment. They then modelled
what would happen if the cancers had been diagnosed earlier.
The report predicted around 52,000 cases of four common
cancers (colon, rectal, lung and ovarian) may be spotted too late
every year, costing the NHS around an extra £150 million to
treat.