Early and more accurate diagnosis of cancer has resulted in a 12% reduction in the mortality rate. It is interesting to note however, that statistics show the fall in death rates for men to be around 3 times better than for women.
Just four cancers, breast, lung, large bowel and prostate, account for over 50% of cases in UK.
Some exciting developments in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer have resulted in a 20% reduction in mortality. Improvements in the use of chemotherapy and endocrine therapy are major factors contributing to this mortality reduction. The aromatase inhibitors are new drugs with promising early results superior to that of tamoxifen. A new investigation called sentinal node mapping more accurately defines the extent of the cancer and can avoid the need for radical surgery.
The rate of lung cancers in men has fallen by 47% over the last 30 years, but shows an increase of 55% in women. Experts say this is because more men are quitting smoking, a trend which has not been seen in women. Nevertheless, lung cancers are still more prevalent in men.
As the current 5-year survival rate for lung cancer is only 14%, many respiratory physicians are now recommending that all smokers and ex-smokers, (who have quit within the past 10 years) receive annual CT (Computerised Tomography) scans to detect the early stages of cancer.
