New breast cancer guidance issued by NICE

NICE has announced that women over 70 should be monitored to see how many are treated for breast cancer.

Its new guidance insists that all patients “irrespective of age” should be offered surgery and hormone therapy.

Dr Fergus Macbeth, director of the Centre for Clinical Practice at NICE, said: “Sadly, breast cancer affects a large number of women in England, so this standard is an important step in helping those responsible for the treatment of patients with this condition to deliver the best care possible.”

Dr Rachel Greig, senior policy officer at Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said the new quality standard will “safeguard best practice”.

Recent research found that only 60% of women aged 70 or older had breast cancer surgery in eastern England in recent years, compared with 96% of middle-aged patients. Pensioners are also far more likely to be diagnosed with a tumour at a late stage, by which time the disease had already spread.

The full guidance, published today, includes 13 standards; among them are referring suspected sufferers to a screening unit; offering ultrasound to those with early invasive breast cancer; and providing “adequate removal” and “good aesthetic outcome” for those who need surgery.

The guidance is at:

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/qualitystandards/indevelopment/breastcancer.jsp