To wonder why we can't all just have a yearly scan for cancer screening from birth?

[fishalive]

I'm being too idealistic or simplistic about it all but I wish we could, surely it would be cheaper than treatment and early detection would help overall cure rates?

GPs need to start taking patients concerns more seriously from the start. They should have better training in spotting warning signs and assume the worst rather than fobbing everyone off with the diagnosis of either a virus or stress.

Why does it take several visits before people are taken seriously?

What a naive idea for all the reasons above.

Why on earth you'd want to introduce ionising radiation into a health child's body yearly is beyond me.

I'm sure that we will develop ways of detecting cancer in the future which are more accurate and not harmful Fishalive :)

better treatments too!

eg
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/11/151112123708.htm
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/05/150527150946.htm
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/01/150106134637.htm
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140303153930.htm
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/11/151110082548.htm

just a few examples, I'm sure there are more in the pipeline:)

I truly hope so

Just heard a sad story today about a local child with cancer who was told it was nothing for months and months by the GP then tests/scans (whatever type/name) showed dozens of tumours.

The problem here is not the lack of routine cancer screening for children, the problem is GPs not believing patients and not being well informed on the possible causes of symptoms.

The child could have had a rare virus infection, that could have gone undetected because of the same problem.

I generally have to wait 8 weeks for an mri. Dp had to wait longer for a ct scan. The waiting lists are horrendous as it is without routine scans on those that don't need them.

And not all cancers produce tumours. Some are in the blood or on the skin. Some can only be detected by blood tests.

It's just not feasible.

Well in my idealistic/naive thought process, there would be more facilities for screening in general - scans, examinations, blood tests.

I guess I was hoping there could be a positive impact if these diseases would be front-ended...

medical science is progressing all the time Fish
I'm optimistic :)