The following letter has been sent out to candidates in the 2024 New Brunswick Election. Scroll down for the response from the different parties and candidates.
The Canadian Cancer Survivor Network (CCSN) works to connect patients, survivors and other stakeholder groups with decision makers and the wider community to engage in discussion and to act on evidence-based best practices to alleviate the medical, emotional, financial and social costs of cancer and encourage research on ways to overcome barriers to optimal cancer care and follow-up for patients, caregivers and survivors in Canada.
In 2024, 5,700 people will be diagnosed with cancer in New Brunswick, and 2,300 will die of it. The government of New Brunswick has as critical role to play in making sure that the diagnosis of cancer, required testing, and treatment is provided to its citizens in a timely manner.
COVID-19 has caused major disruptions in cancer care – but cancer can’t be cancelled or postponed. The delay and cancellation of cancer care due to COVID-19 has triggered another public health crisis. Cancer care and diagnosis must continue during any public health crisis affecting Canadians to save lives.
- If elected, how will your government provide the explicit inclusion of essential cancer care in future waves COVID-19 and in all crisis and pandemic planning in the future?
In New Brunswick, women with dense breasts cannot access essential supplemental screening, such as ultrasound, which can help to find breast cancer early. Dense breasts make it harder for radiologists to spot cancer because both cancer and dense tissue appear white on a mammogram. A masking effect is created. For women with dense breasts, 2D or 3D mammography is not enough. It has been known for almost 30 years that ultrasound can find many of the cancers missed by mammography when they are still small and have not spread to lymph nodes. Early detection of breast cancer means a better prognosis, less aggressive treatment, better quality of life, and less cost to the healthcare system.
- If elected, will your government ensure supplemental breast screening is available for women with Category C and D breast density, using either ultrasound or MRI?
While British Columbia has 36 lung cancer screening sites across the province, New Brunswick does not have a lung cancer screening program. We know that lung cancer screening is a proven and effective way to save lives. Those diagnosed at Stage I can often be cured with surgery, but those diagnosed at Stage IV are usually in treatment for the rest of their lives, which are frequently cut short. In addition, Health Canada estimates that radon causes 16 per cent of lung cancer deaths in Canada, with 3,300 people dying from radon-caused lung cancer every year.
- If elected:
3a. Will your government set up a lung cancer screening program that will cover all health districts?
3b. Will your government include citizens who have been exposed to high levels of radon in your lung cancer screening program?
Currently in New Brunswick, there are inequities related to timely access to biomarker testing and results, across cancer types. The top three concerns, as identified by a patient advocacy group roundtable discussion at the national 2023 Biomarkers Conference are: (i) lack of timely access to testing and reporting of results, (ii) lack of patient education, and (iii) intra- and inter-provincial disparities in access.
- If elected:
4a. What steps will your government take to uphold initiatives to advance precision oncology, more specifically, expanding patient access to biomarkers and testing capabilities?
4b. What action will your government take to implement practical improvements to current oncology care pathways so patients can access genetic tests, results and a searchable database of clinical trials available to them in a timely manner?
4c. What measures will your government take to accelerate the education of precision oncology to medical experts and patients?
DEFINITIONS:
- Biomarker: A biological marker which identifies a DNA/RNA mutation, alteration, protein, or other substance that provides information about an individual’s cancer.
- Biomarker Testing: Also known as molecular profiling, this looks for a handful of biological markers commonly expressed in the respective cancer type. Biomarkers are often tested after the tumour tissue has undergone initial pathology testing.
- Comprehensive Genomic Profiling (CGP): Also known as advanced biomarker testing, it is an approach for assessing most, if not all, clinically significant genes, mutations, alterations, proteins, or other substances to inform diagnosis, prognosis, treatment selection and to monitor therapeutic response.
- Precision Oncology: A personalized approach to treating an individual with cancer based on the specific genes, DNA/RNA mutations, alterations, proteins, or other substances present within their tumour (biomarker status) or their genes.
Your response will be circulated to cancer patients, caregivers and survivors in New Brunswick and included on our website at www.survivornet.ca. Links to your responses will also be posted on Facebook and Twitter.
Thank you for your attention to these important issues!
Yours sincerely,
Jackie