Most GPs believe they will need specialist help to ensure they commission the right cancer services, according to a new poll.
Some 71% of GPs agree or strongly agree they will require specialist advice on cancer if the coalition Government's proposed NHS reforms go through.
And 82% of doctors agree or strongly agree that GPs in their area with responsibility for commissioning will need specialist advice.
Furthermore, most GPs believe that radiotherapy (81%), cancer surgery (79%) and chemotherapy (76%) should be commissioned at a regional or national level.
The poll of more than 800 GPs was carried out for the Cancer Campaigning Group (CCG), a coalition of more than 40 cancer charities which has raised concerns that cancer care could suffer under the NHS plans.
It is calling for the planned NHS Commissioning Board to retain the expertise of England's 28 cancer networks, which provide GPs and hospital cancer teams with key information on the best treatments. Under the NHS reforms, it is thought GP consortia will determine whether to continue getting advice and support from the networks, or whether to seek it elsewhere.
Ciaran Devane, chief executive at Macmillan Cancer Support, one of the charities on the CCG steering group, said: "GPs are telling us they will need specialist advice to commission cancer services so it's extremely worrying that the funding of the cancer networks that can provide this help is still under threat.
"Cancer is a set of highly complex diseases so it's vital GP consortia understand and are able to meet both the clinical and the longer-term needs of people living with or after cancer."
Tory MP John Baron, chairman of the all party parliamentary group on cancer, said: "This survey makes clear that GP consortia will need specialist support to commission cancer services. I have already asked the Secretary of State for Health to consider extending the funding commitment for cancer networks to 2013/14.
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"To guarantee funding only until 2012 risks losing valuable expertise which GPs have made clear they need if they are to successfully commission integrated cancer services. As the Government conducts the listening exercise into the health bill, I hope it takes action following this survey."
