New service at King's Lynn hospital targets early detection of cancer

A new clinic at Lynn's Queen Elizabeth Hospital will help with early detection of head and neck cancer.

The Rapid Access Neck Lump Clinic has been added to the Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) department.

Head and neck cancer is the eighth most common cancer in the UK with over 12,000 new cases recorded every year. One of the initial symptoms is a neck lump.

Sharon Cotton, Macmillan Head & Neck Cancer Nurse Specialist at QEH, said: “This life-saving clinic targets the early signs of cancer and reduces the time from referral to treatment plan.

"There is good evidence that early detection of head and neck cancer improves the chances of surviving this disease.”

In the one-stop clinic patients will have a full assessment and can also have tests to determine if a lump is benign or malignant. In the latter case, patients can be fast-tracked for further tests to be swiftly diagnosed and appropriate treatment can commence.

Lead consultant for the clinic, Mohamed Alfiky, said: “We’re so pleased to finally be able to offer this service.

"The one-stop clinic can provide early diagnosis and reduce waiting times by an average of three weeks, which is crucial when investigating cancer.”