Women diagnosed with breast cancer will be able to compare treatments and see how long they will have to wait at different hospitals, using a new guide launched today.

Charity Breast Cancer Care has produced a booklet giving details of breast cancer services across the UK which it said would allow women to make informed choices about their treatment.

The guide reveals wide variations in the care offered across the UK, including waiting times for crucial treatments such as radiotherapy.

The Royal College of Radiologists recommends that radiotherapy for the treatment of primary breast cancer should begin within 28 days of surgery, but in some hospitals the average wait

for radiotherapy was four times that, in excess of 100 days.

One patient in Luton and Dunstable Hospital had to wait 252 days, although the average wait at the hospital was 64 days.

Many NHS trusts were also unable to supply information about the questions asked for the guide, compiled using figures from independent health research group Dr Foster.

The longest average waits for radiotherapy appeared to be in the South East of England.

Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust reported average radiotherapy waiting times of 84 days.

East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust had an average wait of 102 days at its Conquest Hospital in St Leonards on Sea, while the Kent and Canterbury Hospital reported 95 days.

But many hospitals reported much shorter radiotherapy waiting times, with some less than 30 days.

The trend was for patients to wait longer for treatment, because of increasing numbers needing radiotherapy and a shortage of radiotherapy machines and staff. The guide says: "Longer waits for radiotherapy may cause you distress and anxiety and may be harmful, so it is helpful to check out the waits in your local area."

Anna Wood, policy and campaigns manager at Breast Cancer Care, said: "It is really important for people who are diagnosed with breast cancer to receive as much information and support as possible.

"That’s why Breast Cancer Care is dedicated to ensuring that everyone diagnosed with breast cancer or undergoing treatment has access to the best services and treatment options for them."

Melanie Johnson, the Public Health Minister, said: "Patient choice is a cornerstone of the Government’s health strategy and we welcome the launch of Breast Cancer Care’s new guide.

"It is an excellent resource for people diagnosed with breast cancer as it gives them more choice about how, when and where they receive their treatment."

A Department of Health spokeswoman said: "There will always be cases where a GP routinely refers a patient with other breast conditions and they are then later diagnosed with breast cancer.

"The Cancer Plan one month target from diagnosis to treatment introduced in December 2001 means that women receive prompt treatment.

"Key to this is ensuring that patients and GPs are better informed of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer so that referrals are made appropriately."

The guide will be updated every year and will be supplied to every breast cancer unit and clinic in the UK.

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