SIGNIFICANT improvement in cancer survival rates was recorded in Northern Ireland between 1993 and 2004, a report launched at Queen's University, Belfast, has revealed.
The study indicates that relative survival rates improved in both men and women diagnosed between 1997-2000 when compared with 1993 -1996.
But the report also shows relatively poor survival rates of patients with cancers of the lung, stomach and o
esophagus at nine per cent, 17 per cent and 13 per cent respectively after five years.
Overall, male mortality rates between 1993 and 2004 dropped by 1.3 per cent and female death rates decreased by 0.8 per cent.
The report also claims that during 1993-2003, there was “significant and continuous” improvement in rates of survival for all cancer patients.
Estimates suggest the five-year survival rate will improve further for patients diagnosed in 2001-2004.
Welcoming the report, Dr Anna Gavin, director of the Northern Institute for Cancer Research, said it would play a significant part in the future development of cancer care in the Province.
She added: “The report also emphasises the impact of smoking in the changing patterns of cancer incidence. While tobacco use in males and females is now similar, we are still seeing the effects of tobacco use in the population 20 to 30 years ago, when men smoked at least twice as much as women.
“This has resulted in levels of lung, stomach and oesophageal cancer in males which is one-and-a-half times those in females. Unfortunately, these cancers have poor relative survival.”
Dr Gavin said Ulster people were found to be reluctant to “bother” their GP and so quite often the early signs of cancer were neglected.
She stressed that a simple check-up could save a person’s life and women should be sure to attend screening programmes for breast and cervical cancer.
“There are ongoing moves within the health service to improve services for cancer patients and reduce waiting times,” she said.
Prevention was “still better than cure” and Dr Gavin urged people to take simple lifestyle steps to “reduce their risk of ever getting cancer”.
Vice-chancellor of Queen’s, Prof Peter Gregson, said: “Timely, detailed and accurate statistical information is crucial in the fight against cancer.”
The full article contains 382 words and appears in News Letter newspaper.
