Surgeon slams treatment of cancer patients

A LEADING surgeon is "appalled" at the lack of compassion health workers show to cancer patients - and he expects the problem to get worse.

At a NSW Health Innovation Symposium in Sydney on Friday, Associate Professor Brian McCaughan slammed the way science had taken over traditional care in hospitals and cancer centres.

"What I see as the big downer, and what I'm worried will continue to get worse, is that good old thing called compassion for the patient," the cardiothoracic surgeon told the forum.

"I think there's a little bit too much science coming in and not enough compassion or caring.

"I'm appalled at how I observe people being handled at front doors of hospitals when they're sick and worried."

Prof McCaughan was also concerned that medical professionals had lost some of the ability to decide who should be treated.

"I think we're all so full of ourselves in how good our treatment is and how low risk it is that we are treating people who can be managed a whole lot better than in the traditional anti-cancer way," he said.

"Let's up our game."

But NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner said Prof McCaughan's point was somewhat "exaggerated".

"Generally, what people are saying is you can't just rely on science in coming up with cures and treatments," Ms Skinner told AAP.

"There's also human elements and that's about putting that patient first, and I think everybody would agree with that."

Kathy Smith, who chairs a coalition of cancer consumer groups, Cancer Voices NSW, said the situation had improved since she was treated for cancer 16 years ago, but more needed to be done.

"I agree entirely that the science has crept into it in a big big way, to the point of not only baffling the patients (but) it can scare them," Ms Smith said.

"There must be a more open, friendly approach.

"The clinicians themselves need to approach patients as people and talk to them on their level."

Prof McCaughan, who is based at Sydney's Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and chairs NSW's Clinical Excellence Commission, is a Member of the Order of Australia for his services to medicine.

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