Many cancer cases only diagnosed in emergencies

Almost one in four people with cancer do not receive a diagnosis until they are taken to hospital for an emergency, according to research.

The National Cancer Intelligence Network said in 2007, half of acute leukaemia and brain cancer cases were only discovered at a critical stage.

The figures suggest that only 3% of skin cancers went undetected until the emergency stage, compared with 58% of brain cancers.

Jon Brain reports.