These data for 1997 are set out in the table attached.These data must be interpreted with caution.The date of diagnosis is taken to be the date of first consultation at, or admission to, hospital for the cancer in question.No distinction can be made between curative and palliative treatment.Assumptions cannot be made about the apparent variations in the interval between the (assumed) date of diagnosis and date of first radiotherapy treatment, as this may reflect a variety of planned treatment decisions and circumstances, including sequencing of different modalities of treatment and the first manifestation of metastatic disease requiring radiotherapy, which can be many...