Cancer Patients Face Lengthy Waits for Life-Saving Transplants

Delays in receiving essential transplant treatments are resulting in tragic consequences for cancer patients in New Zealand. According to Professor Peter Browett, a consultant haematologist at Auckland City Hospital and Director of the Centre for Cancer Research at the University of Auckland School of Medicine, some patients are dying while waiting for treatment.

The issue stems from a growing backlog of patients requiring both allogeneic transplants, which involve donor stem cells, and autologous transplants, where a patient’s own stem cells are used. In Auckland alone, there are currently 114 patients on the waiting list, with 61 awaiting allogeneic transplants and 53 for autologous transplants. In Wellington, 40 patients are waiting (including 24 for allogeneic and 16 for autologous), while Christchurch has 44 patients in need of treatment (with 18 waiting for allogeneic and 26 for autologous transplants).

Patients are experiencing delays of up to four months for allogeneic transplants and an average of two and a half months for other procedures. Dr. Browett highlights the distressing impact on patients and their families, noting that some have relapsed before reaching the transplant stage, forcing them into palliative care instead of curative treatment.

The situation has become increasingly challenging for clinicians, particularly those in regions such as Northland, Tauranga, and the Waikato, who are advocating for their patients. Dr. Browett points to insufficient funding and a lack of commitment from health officials as primary contributors to the ongoing crisis. “It’s a reflection of many years of lack of investment in resources, dating back well over a decade,” he explained.

With an ageing population and growing demand for transplants, Dr. Browett anticipates that the number of patients requiring treatment will rise by 30 to 40 percent by 2030. Health Minister Simeon Brown has acknowledged that the wait times for donor stem cell and bone marrow transplants are unacceptably long. Many blood cancer patients are forced to undergo additional chemotherapy to manage their conditions while they wait for transplants.

In response to the backlog, Health New Zealand has announced increased funding for services in Christchurch and Auckland, totaling just over $6 million for the 2024/2025 financial year. Dr. Browett confirmed that this funding was initially secured in October 2024, with further increases planned for the following year. However, he cautioned that sustainable capacity increases are conditional upon future funding confirmations.

Dr. Richard Sullivan, chief clinical officer at Health New Zealand, stated that urgent work is underway to develop plans for the next phase of investment in transplant services. Despite these efforts, Dr. Browett warns that resolving the issues within the transplant service will not be straightforward. “It’s not a quick fix,” he said. “This requires investment across health professionals as well as additional facilities.”

As the demand for transplants continues to rise, the pressing need for long-term solutions to the challenges facing cancer patients remains a critical concern for health authorities and the medical community in New Zealand.