New Sanofi report calls for urgent action after the UK’s most common cancer, non-melanoma skin cancer, found to have no national consensus on patient referral and management

Reading, UK - 29^th November 2022 – Sanofi has published a report – endorsed by Skin Cancer UK – showing that non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is severely under-recognised and under-prioritised by national health systems throughout the UK.[i] While NMSC is the most common cancer in the UK (with more cases than breast, bowel, and prostate cancer combined)[ii] and becoming increasingly prevalent,[iii] there is no up to date, comprehensive national clinical guidelines on the referral and management of NMSC,¹ no consistent definition of NMSCs,¹ and delays in accessing the correct profssionals.¹ However, if detected early, NMSC can be successfully treated.   

Results from the report, which surveyed 95 UK skin cancer experts, including Dermatologists (n=35), Oncologists (n=30), and Surgeons (n=30) from the UK, show 97% of respondents believe a national guideline on the referral and management of NMSC patients must be published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE),¹ with 96% saying that if published, their local health system should implement the national NMSC guideline including putting a full patient pathway in place.¹ Further survey findings demonstrate that 93% agree a national NMSC guideline would improve patient outcomes,¹ and 87% feel it would reduce time to a definitive diagnosis.¹      

Gill Nuttall

CEO, Skin Cancer UK

“There is no up to date, comprehensive, national clinical guideline available on the referral and management of NMSC patients in the UK. The consequence is multiple, inconsistent local and national guidelines and pathways, with some areas not having any framework in place for these patients at all. Regional variations between the definition used to distinguish NMSCs, speed and access to the correct professionals, and time to diagnosis are resulting in a postcode lottery for patients, which is putting thousands of patients’ lives at risk. We’re keen to work together with NICE, NHS England, SIGN in Scotland, and other stakeholders to provide a unified, up-to-date national guideline.”              

The report highlighted that 88% of respondent clinicians are experiencing a lack of capacity to manage the increasing demand for NMSC services and increased referrals of NMSC patients.¹ Skin cancer is one of only three cancers that comprise two-thirds of the national pandemic backlog in England,[iv] and clinical teams are working through a huge waiting list, one they feel is insurmountable with the current workforce.[v] 88% also highlighted the post-COVID care backlog is contributing to more patients being diagnosed with NMSC at more advanced stages.¹

Elliot Colburn MP

Conservative Member of Parliament for Carshalton and Wallington &

Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Cancer

“Workforce shortages are especially present in skin cancer, with shortfalls across the entire NMSC diagnosis, treatment, and management pathway. While long-term efforts are welcome, short-term solutions are urgently needed for NMSC to plug the gap. The publication of a comprehensive, national guideline should detail the workforce requirements to streamline a full NMSC patient pathway, and of course, would then require sufficiently staffed teams to effectively implement the steps. Without progress on resource capacity, it is estimated more than 340,000 people between 2019 and 2028 will miss out on an early cancer diagnosis, which will be catastrophic for the growing number of NMSC patients.”     

The NHS 2022/23 Priorities and Operational Planning Guidance for England identified skin cancer as a priority area for increasing diagnostic and treatment capacity. However, despite the rhetoric of national prioritisation, 65% of clinicians surveyed believe that NMSC is not being adequately prioritised by NHS England.¹

Anju Bhalla

Head of Oncology & Haemato-Oncology, Sanofi UK & Ireland

“There is no better time to discuss skin cancer than right now, and focus on NMSC is particularly important. One of the critical recommendations from our report is NMSC should be established as a priority in national cancer policy. The Department for Health and Social Care, as well as national health systems, have an opportunity to increase the prioritisation of skin cancer. We encourage immediate action to drive momentum in service provision and improve patient outcomes.”

Around 230,000 people are diagnosed with NMSC every year in the UK,[vi] however, the number is likely higher.[vii] NMSC accounts for 20% of all new cancers,⁷ and 90% of all new skin cancers.⁷ Since the early 1990s, the UK incidence of NMSC has increased by 169%,³ and over the last decade, the incidence of NMSC has increased by 42% in the UK.³ The incidence rates for NMSC are forecast to reach almost 400,000 per year by 2025,[viii] and the associated costs are expected to rise from £289-£399 million a year in 2020, to £338-£465 million in 2025.[ix]

-ENDS-

About the NMSC report  

The NMSC report titled “the Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer patient pathway: improving patient journeys and experience of care” is owned by Sanofi and endorsed by Skin Cancer UK. The insights and recommendations are based on a survey conducted by Sanofi which gathered responses from 95 healthcare professionals practising in the UK. Country breakdown: England (86), Scotland (8), Wales (1). No responses from healthcare professionals in Northern Ireland were received. Speciality breakdown: Dermatology (35), Surgery (30), Oncology (30). The fieldwork was conducted between the 6^th and 27^th June, 2022.  

About Sanofi

We are an innovative global healthcare company, driven by one purpose: we chase the miracles of science to improve people’s lives. Our team, across some 100 countries, is dedicated to transforming the practice of medicine by working to turn the impossible into the possible. We provide potentially life-changing treatment options and potentially life-saving vaccine protection to millions of people globally, while putting sustainability and social responsibility at the centre of our ambitions.

About Skin Cancer UK

Any skin cancer diagnosis can be physically and emotionally challenging. We believe that a strong support community is critical to healing and recovery. Skin Cancer UK has been established to address the needs of people with a non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) diagnosis in the UK. With the support of our existing melanoma patient organisation, Melanoma UK, it is our aim to offer support that arise with a NMSC diagnosis and to deliver policy reform that will help shape the way NMSC is considered and managed in the UK.

Contact

Julie Courbebaisse | +44 (0) 7730 303182 | julie.courbebaisse@sanofi.com

[i] Sanofi Data on File

[ii] British Association of Dermatologists (BAD). One in five people in England will develop a non-melanoma skin cancer in their lifetime. November 2021. Available at: https://www.skinhealthinfo.org.uk/one-in-five-people-in-england-will-develop-a-non-melanoma-skin-cancer-in-their-lifetime/ Last accessed: November 2022

[iii] Cancer Research UK. Non-melanoma skin cancer statistics, Available at: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/non-melanoma-skin-cancer#heading-One Last accessed: November 2022

[iv] NHS England. 2022/23 priorities and operational planning guidance, 2022. Available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/20211223-B1160-2022-23-priorities-and-operational-planning-guidance-v3.2.pdf Last accessed: November 2022

[v] Health and Social Care Committee, Workforce: recruitment, training and retention in health and social care, July 2022. Available at: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/23246/documents/171671/default/ Last accessed: November 2022

[vi] British Association of Dermatologists (BAD), 84 per cent of dermatologists think that Brits have an unhealthy relationship with tanning, May 2018. Available at: https://www.bad.org.uk/84-per-cent-of-dermatologists-think-that-brits-have-an-unhealthy-relationship-with-tanning/ Last accessed: November 2022

[vii] National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service, Non-melanoma skin cancer in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland. Available at: http://www.ncin.org.uk/publications/data_briefings/non_melanoma_skin_cancer_in_england_scotland_northern_ireland_and_ireland Last accessed: November 2022

[viii] Goon et al, Predicted cases of U.K. skin squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma in 2020 and 2025: horizon planning for National Health Service dermatology and dermatopathology, British Journal of Dermatology, 2017; 176:1351–1353. doi: 10.1111/bjd.15110 

[ix] British Association of Dermatologists (BAD), Doctors forecast a steep rise in skin cancer cases, December 2016. Available at: https://www.skinhealthinfo.org.uk/doctors-forecast-a-steep-rise-in-skin-cancer-cases/ Last accessed: November 2022