Cancer test delays force UK women into surgery

Some women with a family history of breast cancer are opting to have surgery rather than wait up to two years for test results that would confirm whether they are at risk, a charity said on Monday.

A report by Breakthrough Breast Cancer said waiting times for test results have risen for three years to reach an average of six months, well above the government's two-month target.

Women with relatives who had breast cancer can take genetic tests to check whether they are at a higher risk of developing the disease and could receive early treatment.

"Some feel forced to have their breasts removed without knowing their results, simply because they are too worried to wait any longer," the charity said.

Breakthrough's Chief Executive Jeremy Hughes said laboratories where the tests are checked are struggling to cope with the workload. A backlog of tests in London won't be cleared until the end of 2007.

"It is unacceptable that women are forced to put their lives on hold as they wait so long to get these vital test results," he said.

About 4,500 women who fear they have a heightened risk of breast cancer have the genetic tests each year. Hughes had no figures for the number who choose to have breast removal surgery rather than wait for the results.

The charity urged the government to set up a task force to tackle the problem.

The Department of Health said it had allocated an extra 18 million pounds to modernise National Health Service genetic laboratories and cut waiting times.

"Clearly long waits are unacceptable," it said in a statement. "Laboratories are now working very hard to get their new equipment and working practices up to speed."