Liepaja doctors warn patients not to delay cancer care over Riga trips

Doctors at Liepaja Regional Hospital say patients in Kurzeme can receive nearly all cancer tests and available treatments locally, and should not delay seeking care because they believe they must travel to Riga. LSM reports that doctors are concerned by patients who say their cancer was diagnosed late because the journey was too far.

The hospital says cancer treatment guidelines are the same throughout Latvia. Services available in Liepaja include complex surgery, chemotherapy and hormone therapy.

The hospital’s oncology case review board considers up to 1,500 patients a year. Around 700 were first-time patients last year, said Dzintra Litavniece, who leads the board. She said the number of patients has grown over time.

Doctors attribute the increase to longer life expectancy, lifestyle and harmful factors, and say cancer cases are rising worldwide. Aija Hovecka, head of the hospital’s quality management department, cited research projecting that cancer cases will nearly double by 2050.

Doctors urged people not to put off their health checks and to respond to screening invitations, which can save lives.