Report: Cancer survival rates rising in the North

Cancer survival rates have risen in the North, a report revealed today.

More and more men and women are living for at least five years after being diagnosed with all forms of the disease.

The improved survival was confirmed in a study by the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry (NICR).

It found male mortality rates dropped by 1.3% between 1993 and 2004, while the level of female deaths went down by 0.8% during the same period.

Dr Anna Gavin, Director of NICR, declared: “This publication will play a significant part in the future development of cancer care in Northern Ireland.”

Survival rates are seen as one of the best indicators of the efficiency of diagnostic and treatment methods.

Many aspects are involved in measuring it, including: delays in diagnosis; standard of treatment; its timeliness; and the overall quality of care.

The report, launched at Queen’s University Belfast, showed relative survival rates were better among both men and women diagnosed from 1997-2000, compared with 1993-96.

It found a significant and continuous improvement in both one and five-year survival in all cancers, with estimates suggesting the trend is set to continue.

With the study set to be included in a Europe-wide comparison of information between 83 cancer registries in 22 countries, Dr Gavin insisted it was a key development for Northern Ireland.

She also stressed 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,” she said.

“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 – lung cancer at five years is 9%, stomach 17% and oesophagus 13%.

“In addition people with a tobacco related cancer tend also to have other tobacco-related diseases, especially heart disease, which reduces the chance of a full recovery.”

Public reluctance to bother GPs and a neglect of the early signs of cancer - such as a lump, change in bowel habits, weight loss, unusual bleeding or pains - were cited as potential fatal oversights.

“A simple check up could save a person’s life,” Dr Gavin stressed.

“Breast and cervical cancers may be picked up early by screening and so women invited for such programmes should attend.

“There are ongoing moves within the Health Service to improve services for cancer patients and reduce waiting times.

“This should improve the treatment of cancer patients and survival. Prevention is, however, still better than cure and people are urged to take simple lifestyle steps to reduce their risk of ever getting better.”

Professor Roy Spence, a consultant surgeon and Chairman of the Council of Northern Ireland Cancer Registry, also emphasised service changes and re-organisation involving advice and screening.

He added: “These survival statistics provide a window through which we can measure the impact of change and even though the time of follow up is short it is pleasing to note detectable improvements.”

Queen’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Peter Gregson, told how timely and accurate statistical information was crucial in fighting cancer.

“The work of Dr Gavin and her team plays a vital and valued role in this respect by providing key information to support research, planning and education.”

Cancer survivor Alex McGuiggan, 58, claimed the report would be a major help as he tries to convince others they can beat the disease.

The Bangor man was Head of Maths and Science at North Down and Ards Institute when he had his voicebox removed in September 1999 after being diagnosed with cancer of the larynx.

Mr McGuiggan needed a second biopsy after noticing his voice getting weaker.

And he stressed: “If someone is losing their voice and it lasts more than three weeks they need to go and see about it ASAP.

“Treatment can obviously enhance the chances of survival.”

Mr McGuiggan, who now uses an electronic voicebox to communicate and teaches Maths and IT at the Police Rehabilitation and Retraining Trust in Belfast, and the Open University, preferred to focus on others.

“I’m so far down my cancer journey that I’m trying to do something for patients who contract cancer.

“I’m delighted this report corroborates what I thought about my cancer – that its a very good prognosis.

“When I go into hospitals to visit patients I can now tell them there are findings out there that back up what I’m saying.”

The Ulster Cancer Foundation was also encouraged by the findings.

But Chief Executive Arlene Spiers added: “However it’s vitally important that local people realise that we could reduce the number of cancers by two thirds if we applied the knowledge we already have.

“If our community made changes to their lifestyle, such as rejecting tobacco, adopting healthier diets and avoiding sunburn, we would see a dramatic and sustained fall in cancer rates here in Northern Ireland.”

SDLP health spokeswoman Carmel Hanna insisted that more needed to be done.

“Despite cancer survival rates improving, we are still falling behind other European countries,” she said.

“Early intervention is key if we are to ensure that patients have access to treatment early on, whether that is surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy.”

She added: “Improving cancer survival rates is a complicated task and this study raises some important policy questions, especially around prevention of cancer which, of course, is better than cure.

“The Minister for Health stated to members of the Health Committee in the NI Assembly that he was prioritising health education and prevention. This study confirms that his Department need to sustain this priority to reduce incidence of cancer in the North of Ireland.”