A report from Sanofi is calling for a national clinical guideline on the referral and management of patients with non-melanoma skin cancer in the UK.

The report, which has been endorsed by Skin Cancer UK, shows that while non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is the most common cancer in the UK (with more cases than breast, bowel and prostate cancer combined), there are no national clinical guidelines on the referral and management of NMSC, no consistent definition of NMSCs, and delays in accessing the correct care.

Results from the report, which surveyed 95 UK skin cancer experts including 35 dermatologists, 30 oncologists and 30 surgeons, show 97 per cent of respondents believe a national guideline on the referral and management of NMSC patients must be published by NICE, with 93 per cent saying it would improve patient outcomes and 87 per cent that it would reduce time to a definitive diagnosis. 

The consequence of no up-to-date, comprehensive, national clinical guidelines on the referral and management of NMSC patients in the UK is multiple, inconsistent local and national guidelines and pathways, with some areas not having any framework in place at all, according to Gill Nuttall, chief executive at Skin Cancer UK.  

“Regional variations between the definition used to distinguish NMSC, speed and access to the correct professionals, and time to diagnosis are resulting in a postcode lottery for patients, which is putting thousands of lives at risk,” she says.