Leading cancer charity Macmillan Cancer Support has said that patients who survive the disease and who develop other conditions as a result of their cancer treatment may not be receiving the care and support they need.

BBC News reports that the charity estimates as many as 250,000 cancer survivors who live for five years after their diagnosis may develop other conditions such as weight gain, memory impairment, bowel problems and bone and heart complaints.

The Department of Health has said it is aware of potential ongoing health problems among cancer survivors and is looking into their care. The government’s cancer tsar Professor Mike Richards said that he accepted more needed to be done.

Macmillan researchers say, however, that some GPs may not be aware of the health problems that many cancer survivors may face – and that as survival rates among cancer patients improve, those who go on to develop complications as a result of their treatment could face neglect.

Macmillan's chief medical officer Prof Jane Maher said:

‘Not managing these consequences of treatment can cause real problems to people in terms of disabling their lives at the other end.’

Prof Maher said that cancer survivors needed to know which symptoms they needed to report after treatment and who to report them to – as well as being reassured that they would be able to return to the healthcare system after developing further problems ‘months, years, even decades after the treatment’.

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