A study in the Netherlands has proved that achieving the gold standard in breast cancer care is possible. Teams across the Netherlands set up and met targets for faster diagnosis of breast cancer and a reduction in waiting time for operations.
The 5th European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC-5) heard how all countries should be striving to hit similar targets.
The project set up in the Netherlands has delivered exactly what it promised, namely measurably improved outcomes for breast cancer patients. Many countries have National Cancer Plans, few of which have delivered their full potential. The Netherlands was one of the first to set up cancer networks in 1980, backed by legislation that ensured cancer patients the right to a specialist oncologist's opinion. Many European countries still do not offer such a right.
Now the Netherlands leads oncology treatment once more. Dr Emil Rutgers, from the Netherlands Cancer Institute (which first showed the potential of gene signatures in prognosticating in breast cancer), described a very low-tech approach to accelerated management of patients suspected of having breast cancer. They set up and achieved targets for faster diagnosis (2 weeks), reduced time to operation (3 weeks), and reduction of unnecessary operations (10- 35%).