The principle tumours for which chemotherapy has an established place are listed along with their incidence in England and Wales. The tables then generate an estimate of the numbers of cases in each tumour site annually for which there is sufficient evidence to consider chemotherapy during at least one stage in the disease. Tables A1a, b and c deal with lung, colorectal and breast cancers respectively. Tumours like bladder, prostate, kidney, brain, uterus, cervix, sarcomas etc are also treated with chemotherapy from time to time and are all subject to ongoing chemotherapy research, but at present constitute a smaller load and are omitted for simplicity.
Paediatric cancers are rare and excluded as being the responsibility of paediatric oncologists.
Leukemias and myeloma are occasionally treated by medical oncologists, but more frequently by haematologists and so are also excluded. Lymphomas are included although it is recognised that these diseases are treated by both medical oncologists and haematologists. As highlighted in the text, many cancer patients receive quite separate programmes of chemotherapy during different stages of the disease. Some lymphoma and breast cancer patients might receive four or more different programmes, each with multiple cycles. Although representing a major demand for chemotherapy, this factor is omitted, again for simplicity.