HUNDREDS of people across Cumbria did not start treatment for cancer within the government set target of two months last year.

A total of 2,070 people in the county were referred urgently by their GP for the disease in 2017.

But 365 waited longer than 62 days to begin treatment in the form of chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery, failing the NHS target of 85 per cent of all cancer patients.

The situation was worst in the north of the county, where health services are commissioned on behalf of residents by North Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group.

Here 216 people did not start their treatment within two months of an urgent referral when their GP suspected they had cancer.

This meant 81.3 per cent of those with the disease were treated within the target, below the national average of 82 per cent.

The figure is worse than the previous year: 2016, when 82.5 per cent of people were treated within the recommended time frame.

Dr David Rogers, Medical Director for NHS North Cumbria CCG, said waiting times had improved in the most recent quarter reported.

"The CCG has been aware of the problems faced in meeting cancer targets, and in response to this a lot of attention continues to be given to developing cancer pathways.

"In the past year, significant funding has been released to improve cancer services nationally along with substantial capital investment funds, and North Cumbria has benefited from both areas of funding.

"The most recent cancer waiting times continue to reflect the impact of the additional investment and improvement work undertaken locally, and are now showing achievement of standards in the key 14 day and 62 day targets in North Cumbria. "Performance outside of North Cumbria saw a small number of patients treated outside of the 62 day target due to a number of reasons, including patient choice.

"Despite this, the local health system continues to deliver better than the England average for 62 day patients."

In south Cumbria, the number of patients treated within two months was higher - though it still fell short of the required 85 per cent.

Figures recorded by Morecambe Bay Clinical Commissioning Group show 83.7 per cent of patients began treatment within 62 days last year - compared to 84.8 per cent in 2016.

A spokesman for the organisation said winter pressures within the NHS would have had an effect on the figures, though a boundary change last year meant it was difficult to compare like-for-like figures.

They added: "A surge in winter pressures has had an impact across the North West Cancer Alliance figures, which in turn will have an impact on our target figures for 2017-2018.

"We have been working closely with our primary care and acute trust colleagues across south Cumbria and north Lancashire to improve this target along with the alliance.

"Some of the work includes investment in diagnostics to better stream symptomatic bowel patients to the correct test.

"Across the alliance we are developing streamlined pathways for lung, upper gastrointestinal, colorectal and prostate cancers to improve the patient journey.

"Morecambe Bay CCG is committed to improving this target and has made cancer one of the focus areas for the coming year."

Dr Jeanette Dickson, vice president of clinical oncology at the Royal College of Radiologists, spoke about the national picture.

She said that while the figures 'are a cause for concern' they are a slightly crude measure for judging cancer diagnosis.

"In an ideal world we would want it to be 100 per cent," Dr Dickson said.

However, she explained getting from the GP to treatment is a complicated process requiring many different appointments and staff.

"There is currently a shortage of radiologists and to a lesser extent oncologists," she added.

"Some people will choose to delay the treatment beyond the two month time period."

Dr Dickson said the time periods required for treating different forms of cancer are vastly different.

"With your average male prostate cancer patient, you will do nothing but examine and watch for 10 years," she said.

"However, with tongue cancer or aggressive lung cancer you need to start treatment within three weeks otherwise it's likely the patient will have less chance surviving."

The best record nationwide was recorded by South Cheshire CCG where 93 per cent of cancer patients started treatment within two months.

But in Thurrock CCG, Essex, it was just 59 per cent.

The target has not been met nationally since 2013.