More than half of patients diagnosed with the six ‘least survivable’ cancers die within a year in Britain, researchers have revealed.
The new analysis shows that 58 percent of people in England diagnosed with lung, liver, brain, oesophageal, pancreatic or stomach cancer will die from their disease within a year.
By comparison, on average, about 30 percent of people suffering from all forms of cancer will not survive a year.
Survival statistics are even bleaker in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, according to data released by the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce.
In these regions, more than 60 percent of deaths occur within a year of diagnosis.
More than 90,000 people in the UK are diagnosed each year with one of six lower cancer survival rates. According to Cancer Research UK, they are responsible for almost half of all common cancer deaths.
These cancers are often diagnosed at a later stage; only 28 percent of patients in Britain are diagnosed in the early stages of the disease, when the disease is more treatable.
That’s compared to 54 percent of all other cancers diagnosed at stages 1 or 2.
Harry Potter star Alan Rickman was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2015 and died a year later in January 2016 at the age of 69 (left). American actor Patrick Swayze also died of pancreatic cancer in 2009, just over a year and a half after he was diagnosed (right)
The Wanted singer Tom Parker was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor in October 2020 and died on March 30, 2022
Late-stage diagnosis has significant consequences and limits options for treatments that could significantly improve survival rates, experts warn.
Cheryle Brandon, 52, from Surrey, was diagnosed with stage 4 oesophageal cancer in December 2022.
She said: ‘My symptoms started with reflux and indigestion and my doctor put me on medication to reduce the amount of acid in my stomach. At first I felt better, but about six months later I started having chest pain, it became hard to swallow, and I started choking when I ate.
‘Further tests showed I had oesophageal cancer which they thought had also spread to my lungs, liver, larynx and lymph nodes. My tumor was inoperable (because it was too close to my heart), but remarkably, after grueling courses of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, I was declared cancer-free.
‘Now I take it one day at a time and help raise awareness about this extremely aggressive disease.’
Harry Potter star Alan Rickman was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2015 and died a year later at the age of 69.
American actor Patrick Swayze also died of pancreatic cancer in 2009, just over a year and a half after he was diagnosed.
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Similarly, The Wanted singer Tom Parker was diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer – a fatal glioblastoma – in October 2020 and died on March 30, 2022.
Despite the prevalence of these less survivable cancers, they receive a fraction of the research funding compared to the more survivable diseases, according to the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce.
The campaign group is now calling for commitments at government level to prioritize early detection, research funding and the development of new treatment options for these cancers.
Anna Jewell, chair of the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce, said: ‘The reality that more than half of people diagnosed with a lower survival rate will not survive more than a year is simply unacceptable.
‘It is essential that all UK governments take immediate steps to develop and implement national action plans that target lower survival rates from cancers, to improve outcomes for patients with these devastating diseases.
“We can change the narrative and improve one-year survival by setting specific goals, prioritizing early diagnosis and improving treatment pathways to give every patient a chance.”
MP Paulette Hamilton, who is this week setting up a new All Party Parliamentary group on the lower survival rates of cancers, said: ‘The lower survival rates of cancers have been neglected for far too long and it is time to ensure they get the attention they deserve. earn.
‘By establishing the All Party Parliamentary Group on Less Survivable Cancers, we are taking a crucial step towards improving outcomes and nurturing hope for thousands of patients and their families.’