James Evans MS, Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health & Social Care, has endorsed the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce’s (LSCT) campaign to improve the poor survival chances of people diagnosed with cancers of the lung, liver, brain, oesophagus, pancreas or stomach (the Less Survivable Cancers).
Data released by the LSCT today shows that more than half (61%) of people in Wales diagnosed with a less survivable cancer will die from their disease within one year.
The new analysis of existing cancer registry data shows that the average one-year survival for a patient diagnosed with a less survivable cancer in Wales is just 39%.[1] This contrasts sharply with the overall one-year survival rate for all cancers, which is over 70%.[2]
Over 90,000 people are diagnosed with one of the less survivable cancers in the UK every year and they account for nearly half of all common cancer deaths.[3] These cancers are overwhelmingly diagnosed at later stages compared to other cancers. Only 28% of patients are diagnosed at stage 1 or 2, compared to 54% for all cancers.[4] This late-stage diagnosis limits the potential for treatments that could significantly improve survival rates.
Despite their prevalence, the less survivable cancers receive a fraction (16.6%) of research funding of more survivable cancers.[5]
James Evans MS said:
“My heart goes out to anyone diagnosed with cancer. I’m backing the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce and their calls to improve prospects for people diagnosed with these aggressive cancers.
“In my capacity as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, I will do everything I can to ensure that the Welsh Government addresses the shortcomings within our cancer services.”
Judi Rhys MBE, Chief Executive of Tenovus Cancer Care and Chair of the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce Wales subgroup, said:
“These shocking one year survival statistics are unacceptable and it’s essential that we take urgent action to improve the outcomes for patients diagnosed with these devastating diseases.
The time has come for a national action plan dedicated to less survivable cancers, prioritising greater awareness, faster diagnosis and more research into screening and treatment options.”
The LSCT hosted an event for MSs at The Senedd last Wednesday as part of Less Survivable Cancers Awareness Week.
[1] The average has been calculated by PCUK using latest one-year survival data for cancers of the lung, liver, brain, oesophagus, pancreas and stomach. England: https://www.cancerdata.nhs.uk/ Scotland - https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/cancer-survival-statistics/cancer-survival-statistics-people-diagnosed-with-cancer-between-2013-and-2017/ Wales - https://phw.nhs.wales/services-and-teams/welsh-cancer-intelligence-and-surveillance-unit-wcisu/ Northern Ireland - https://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/nicr/. See table in notes to editors for summary and full breakdown here.
[2] One year adult survival for all cancers in England and Wales is 70.4%. CRUK 2010-2011: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/survival/all-cancers-combined#heading-Zero
[3] Over 90,000 people will be diagnosed with either lung, liver, brain, stomach, pancreatic and oesophageal cancer in the UK each year. These six cancers account for more than 67,000 deaths a year – around a half of all cancer deaths. Figures are for 2016-18, compiled from Cancer Research UK: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type
[4] MSD. (2022). ‘Levelling up: what does it mean for the less survivable cancers in England?’. This applies to cancers of the lung, liver, oesophagus, pancreas or stomach. Cancer staging describes the spread and metastases of a cancer around the body and brain tumours very rarely spread outside of the brain or central nervous system, so they cannot be staged in the same way. Rather than being staged like most other cancer types, brain tumours are graded 1-4.
[5] Between 2002 and 2014, the less survivable cancers received just 16.6% of research funding of more survivable cancers. https://lesssurvivablecancers.org.uk/the-less-survivable-cancers/
