Cancer Services

The B.C. Cancer Agency provides radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment at four major clinics across the province —in Victoria, Vancouver, Surrey, Kelowna and a fifth centre in Abbotsford that opened in August of 2008.

The Northern Cancer Control Strategy improves cancer services and outcomes for British Columbians residing in the north of the province. The Strategy is a comprehensive plan that will improve support services such a laboratory and diagnostic imaging at the Prince George Regional Hospital and will culminate in a new regional cancer centre in Prince George in 2012.

Radiotherapy

In 2007/08, 97.8% percent of British Columbians requiring radiotherapy started treatment within four weeks of being medically able to receive it.

Procedure Patients Waiting
as of
Aug 31/09		 Median Wait Time from Apr 1/08 to Aug 31/09 Treatments (courses) for the 3 months ending
Jul 31/09
Radiotherapy 346 8 days
1.1 weeks		 2,652

Chemotherapy

There is no significant wait for British Columbians who need chemotherapy, which accounts for half of all cancer care provided by the agency. The standard for chemotherapy wait times of two weeks is met in almost every case. In rare cases when it is not met, there is a medical reason.

Outcomes

B.C. has better survival outcomes for cancer treatment than any other Canadian province. This is partly due to cancer services being coordinated and delivered by a central agency.

For example, outcomes show a lower recurrence rate of early stage lymphoma, or primary cancer of the lymph glands. Although it is about 22 percent worldwide, in B.C. the recurrence rate is only one percent.

Patient Resources