Valuable insights from a professional who is also a patient living with cancer

Every 2 minutes, someone living in the UK is diagnosed with cancer, and half of this number of people will survive more than 10 years (Cancer Research UK, 2020). Much work has been done recently around the needs of those living with and beyond cancer, including the introduction of a holistic needs assessment, end-of-treatment plans, and personalised and stratified follow-up (NHS England and NHS Improvement, 2019).

Furthermore, the National Cancer Research Institute (2018) has produced a top 10 of research priorities for patients living with and beyond cancer due to the lack of current research and support available to those who sit in limbo between the support provided during active treatment and that provided within supportive palliative and end-of-life care.

Cordelia Galgut discusses many of these 10 priority areas, including the physical, emotional, social and occupational impacts of cancer and its treatment, and the book includes insights from patients and health professionals. Some of these could be perceived as pejorative to many working in the field, and this is evidenced by the desire of three professionals to remain anonymous. Another important area that Dr Galgut covers is informed consent, an area that should include information regarding possible long-term effects, as well as the more immediate effects of treatment, which for many does not always occur.