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4 Feb 2015

#WeWillUnite: the good news about cancer survival rates

More people are beating cancer today than ever before, according to new figures from Cancer Research UK, who argue that the disease may no longer be “beyond us”.

While Cancer Research UK warned that one in two people will develop cancer at some point in their lives in the UK because more people are surviving into old age, half of patients now survive the disease for more than 10 years.

Read more: Cancer: is it really more about luck than lifestyle?

Charities have been encouraging the public to avoid negative perceptions around the disease and instead, raise awareness about prevention and healthy behaviours.

‘We will unite’

As a result, thousands have turned to social media to mark World Cancer Day, observed annually on February 4. The hashtag #WeWillUnite has already received tens of thousands of responses, including celebrities endorsements urging people to join the campaign.

Cancer may cause more than one in four of all deaths in the UK, yet thanks to research and breakthroughs in treatment, two in four people are now more likely to survive, the charity said.

New methodology

The latest figures released by Cancer Research UK is based on a new method of calculation, and although the figure may be startling, the charity says the numbers have not escalated and that it should not be compared to previous statistics – which reportedly underestimated lifetime cancer risk.

The main reason that lifetime cancer risk is increasing in general is a result of more people living into old age, which causes a greater risk of developing faults in their genes, the charity said.

Harpal Kumar, Cancer Research UK’s chief executive said although there will never be a single “magic bullet” that treats and cures all cancers, there were better prospects now.

We’re able to cure a number of cancers now. Harpal Kumar, Cancer Research UK

However, he warned: “In order to accelerate progress and see more people beating the disease, we have to make sure our NHS cancer services and public health initiatives match our research by being among the best in the world.”

Survival rates

According to the charity, 67 per cent of men will survive their disease for at least one year between 2010 and 2011 in England and Wales, while survival for women is slightly higher, with 74 per cent surviving for one year and more.

Chief Medical Officer, Professor Dame Sally Davies said that it was important to put the stark figures in context. She said: “We must set these figures in context of the fact that people are living longer because of better health care and medical advances.

We must set these figures in context of the fact people are living longer. Professor Dame Sally C Davies

“Cancer survival rates have improved to record levels in this country and we are working to raise awareness of cancer symptoms so it can be diagnosed earlier, improving cancer outcomes.”

A Department of Health spokeswoman reiterated the improving cancer survival rates, adding: “We are on track to save an extra 12,000 lives this year. But cases of cancer are likely to rise with an ageing population – so we are focused on earlier diagnosis, improving care and tackling preventable cancer.

“We have spent an extra £750 million on cancer services and have given local authorities £8.2 billion over three years to tackle public health issues, such as smoking, obesity and alcohol abuse, which are risk factors.”

Since the 1970s however, there has been a steady increase in survival rates. For men, survival for all types of cancer from 1971 to 2011 increased by 22 per cent, while women now have a 74 per cent chance of surviving cancer in the first year.

Lifestyle

While there is no denying the scale of the problem, the focus of the new statistics is on Britain’s ageing population. More than three-quarters of all people diagnosed with cancer in the UK are over the age of 60, because the longer we live, the more time we have for errors to build up.

The charity says that lifestyle, diet and culture, have played a major role in speeding up or slowing down the rate at which errors occur in our genes.

Smoking accounts for one in four UK cancer deaths, but as fewer men smoke tobacco, the overall lung cancer rates have begun falling. On the other hand, a rise in smoking among women suggests that the overall figure is still continuing to rise.

Breast screening has meant more cancers are detected and found at a younger stage, at the same time, the number of prostate cancers diagnosed has also increased. Many of these cases may have previously gone undetected, but earlier diagnosis has also allowed for long-term treatment and management.