FAMILY doctors need to be able to spot more cases of blood cancer at an earlier stage, a charity has said.

GPs need better knowledge of blood cancers such as leukaemia so they can help diagnose patients when their cancer is at an earlier stage, Leukaemia Care said.

More than half of patients with the condition are only diagnosed after they have gone to hospital as an emergency case, the charity said.

This means that their cancer is at a more advanced stage and can be harder to treat.

It also said that many members of the general public do not know the signs and symptoms of blood cancers.

This can mean patients end up going to the doctors many times with different problems before their cancer is spotted.