LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Sir. What wonderful news that The Time's Christmas appeal will benefit cancer research. My joy is heightened by the fact that this gesture comes ten days after the Government promised between £170 million and £200 million over the next three years to provide cancer treatment drugs (report, November 15). While I welcome this much-needed public money, it is long overdue and a lot more is needed.

Cancer affects 4 per cent of the UK population and is the nation's second biggest killer. A report last week demonstrated that the incidence has incresed by 50 per cent in the last 30 years and it is likely to continue its rise in the coming years.

Yet we spend less per head on cancer treatment drugs than any comparable Western country. More NHS resources go on laxatives and acne drugs than on anti-cancer drugs.

There is little sign of the rarer drugs like rituximab being made available to patients suffering from the less well-known cancers such as lymphoma, the sixth biggest cancer killer in the UK. People with lymphoma are often young and the availability on the NHS of new effective freatments would make a significant impact on society.

So while it is commendable for the Health Secretary, Alan Milburn, to say funds are being made available, can he tell us how this money is going to be prioritised and will lymphoma patients be forgotten once again?

Yours faithfully

W.P. Steward
(Head, department of Oncology),
Leicester University
Leicester LB 1 5WW
November 24