Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to establish a specialist paediatric, adolescent, wild-type and syndromic gastrointestinal stromal tumour cancer clinic in the United Kingdom.

Measures to ensure early diagnosis of cancer, including rare cancers, are discussed monthly by the Public Awareness and Primary Care Steering Group. The group is chaired by Sean Duffy, NHS England’s National Clinical Director for Cancer, and includes members representing Public Health England, Cancer Research UK, Macmillan Cancer Support and Departmental officials and other stakeholders.

As rare cancers, paediatric, adolescent, wild-type and syndromic gastrointestinal stromal tumours (PAWS GIST) are covered by the 2013-14 NHS standard contract for paediatric oncology which was developed by the Specialised Service Children’s Cancer Clinical Reference Group (CRG) and can be found at the following address:

www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/e04-paedi-oncol.pdf

NHS England has no plans to establish a specialist PAWS GIST clinic, as treatment is currently provided through paediatric oncology services.

GIST Support UK have in partnership with Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge, established a PAWS GIST clinic that is led by Dr Ramesh Bulusu working with a UK national alliance of doctors.

Dr Jacqueline Cornish, National Clinical Director for Children, Young People and Transition to Adulthood, NHS England has responsibility for PAWS GIST.