Cancer experts have sounded the alarm that progress in fighting the disease is slowing down. A new study by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) has found that despite a remarkable improvement in survival rates over the past few decades, the speed of progress is now dwindling.
The study, which analysed long-term trends in cancer survival index (CSI) for adults across England and Wales between 1971 and 2018, revealed a concerning trend. The 10-year CSI for all cancers combined increased from 41.2 per cent to 49.3 per cent between 2000/01 and 2015/16, but the rate of improvement slowed down to just 1.4 per cent over the same period.
The researchers also identified significant disparities in survival rates across different cancer types. For instance, testicular cancer had a 10-year survival rate of 97 per cent, while pancreatic cancer fared much worse with a rate of only 4.3 per cent.
Experts are now calling for a national cancer plan to address these issues and bring cancer survival trends back on track. The plan would focus on reducing waiting times for diagnosis and treatment, improving early diagnosis, boosting participation in screening programmes, and rolling out lung cancer screening nationwide by 2029.
Government officials have stated that they are prioritising cancer care and aim to improve survival rates further through the National Cancer Plan. However, critics argue that without continued funding and support, the government will be flying blind on cancer control.
Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/cancer-survival-rate-progress-study-b2806339.html