Fewer B.C. cancer patients than expected heading to U.S., despite government contract

Six months after B.C. began sending select cancer patients to the U.S. for radiation therapy, the province is averaging about a dozen patients receiving treatment across the border per week - far fewer than the 50 per week it contracted. The province says patients have a choice of whether to travel or wait at home and that the significant number choosing to go stateside is still shortening wait times. Of 755 patients who were screened to travel to the U.S. and didn’t proceed, 249 wanted their treatment in Canada and 164 refused treatment in the U.S. Some (163) weren’t clinically suitable, some (53) didn’t have required travel documents and some (37) had scheduling difficulties. The rest declined for other reasons.