Viewpoint: Optimising Cancer Treatment to Reduce Its Environmental Impact

Abstract

It is widely accepted that treatment and care for patients with cancer must and should happen, as it is what everyone would want for themselves and their loved ones. Everyone wants the best possible care, but climate change and the extreme weather that it causes are increasingly affecting everyone including patients in negative ways. To continue giving the best possible cancer care without harming our environment and therefore patients, there is a need to optimise care. Through improving efficiency, reducing travel, using renewable energy and other measures it is possible to limit our environmental impact whilst still giving the best care available. In many cases this creates a win-win-win scenario for patients and the environment and, in many cases, significant cost savings.