Cancer in the London prison population, 1986-2005.
BACKGROUND
Little research has investigated cancer care in UK prisons. We wished to identify the number of new cases and the most common cancer diagnoses occurring each year in London prisoners, and the place of death for those who died from their disease.


METHODS
Using the database of the Thames Cancer Registry, we identified cancer diagnoses in residents of seven London prisons from 1986 to 2005 and the place of death of patients dying from their disease between 1996 and 2005.


RESULTS
On average, 31 patients were recorded as diagnosed with cancer while in prison within each 5-year period. In women, 83% (85/102) of diagnoses were in situ carcinoma of the cervix, and in men, 19% (11/57) were of lung cancer. None of the 25 patients recorded as dying from their disease died in prison. Most died in hospitals (48%, 12/25) or in hospices (28%, 7/25).


CONCLUSIONS
London prisons contribute a small number of patients each year who require NHS cancer care, including those with advanced cancer who are released before death. Future studies should investigate cancer incidence for the national prison population, methods for improving screening coverage and follow-up, the timeliness of access to cancer treatments and end-of-life care, and prisoners' and health professionals' experiences of care.
Davies
Elizabeth A
EA
King's College London, Thames Cancer Registry, 1st Floor, Capital House, 42 Weston Street, London SE1 3QD, UK. elizabeth.davies@kcl.ac.uk
Sehgal
Ashu
A
Linklater
Karen M
KM
Heaps
Kate
K
Moren
Caroline
C
Walford
Carole
C
Cook
Ros
R
Møller
Henrik
H
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008131:London / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011329:Prisoners; D012042:Registries; D013222:State Medicine; D013727:Terminal Care