Province needs to bring Alberta Advantage to lagging cancer care: AMA

The Alberta Medical Association (AMA) is worried about cancer care in the province amid a shortage of oncologists.

Radiation oncologist Dr. Brock Debenham has worked at the Cross Cancer Institute for more than a decade.

When he started, Debenham said it was rare for a cancer patient to wait more than two weeks to see an oncologist.

They are now waiting months for an appointment, giving their cancer time to grow bigger and become more difficult to treat.

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"I have personally seen patients who, if you did see them sooner, were potentially curable," Debenham said. "Then, because they've waited so long … it's not curable anymore."

Debenham said the shortage is related to a decade of low recruitment and not enough financial incentives.

"Alberta is kind of the lowest paying place in Canada for oncology," he added.

Like other provinces, Debenham said Alberta needs to make big investments if it wants to improve cancer care and outcomes.

In 2023, B.C. launched the Cancer Care Action Plan, putting $440 million to hire more cancer-care teams and boost pay rates.

"They've hired 64 oncologists in the last two years," Debenham said. "That's what we need.

"We need real investment in cancer care."

AMA president Dr. Paul Parks said the province needs around 50 new oncologists to cope with Alberta's growing population and rising cancer rates.

Parks said that's around the same number of cancer-care doctors trained across Canada each year.

With oncologists in high demand nationally, Alberta's pay is not enough to bring new doctors in or keep the ones already practicing here.

"We are just not competitive compared to … Ontario, or BC or other provinces," Parks said. "When it's a supply and demand issue, they have their choice of where they want to go.

"And they're just simply not coming to Alberta."

Health Minister Adriana LaGrange said Alberta has recruited 17.2 full-time Cancer Care Alberta doctors to start between 2024 and 2025; however, Parks said more than half those doctors are replacements for oncologists who are retiring or moving away.

Parks wants to see pay rates increased for cancer-care doctors, more oncology spaces created in Alberta and a long-term plan from the province on workforce planning.

"The government has to understand how much of a priority this is," Parks said. "We have to change the narrative to recruit and retain."

"It's just not acceptable for cancer patients to be waiting two to three months to see an oncologist," Debenham said. "They may die before they see an oncologist."

LaGrange said Alberta Health Services is using international recruitment campaigns and practicum supports to attract more Cancer Care specialists. Work is underway with the AMA on a new master agreement for oncologists. 

In 2014, Alberta Health Services reported 17,985 new cancer diagnoses; this year, the Canadian Cancer Society reports around 23,800 Albertans are expected to be diagnosed with cancer. 

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Nav Sangha