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There is also a nationaltarget for patients diagnosed with breast cancer that those “who have breast cancerand are referred for urgent treatment will begin that treatment within one monthof diagnosis, where clinically appropriate”. The information requested is as underfor this group of patients.

Itshould be noted that cancer waiting timesdata are subject to continuous development and quality improvement. Data capturesystems were not fully established and validatedprior to 2003, therefore any data collected prior to January of that year on thewaiting times of breast patients between diagnosis and first treatment are not presentedbecause they were of variable quality and completeness and used a different definitionof one month.

Table 1: PatientsDiagnosed with Breast Cancer in Lanarkshire

Source:Information Services Division, NHS National Services Scotland.

Notes:

1.For period January 2003 to March 2004, nopatients were excluded from the calculations.

2.For period April 2004 to June 2006, data exclude patients who died prior to receivingtreatment, who refused treatment, with a patient induced non-clinical delay andwho had co-morbidities (that prevented or delayed treatment).

3. For period July2006 to December 2006, data exclude patients who died prior to receiving treatment,who refused treatment, with a patient induced non-clinical delay, who had co-morbidities,for clinical reasons and initially referred to an other non-cancer specialty.