By 2040, one person in the UK will be diagnosed with cancer every minute, a charity has warned.
The number of annual cancer diagnoses will rise by a fifth this year to 505,000. According to Cancer Research UK, there are currently 420,000, or one every 75 seconds.
The analysis also found that deaths from the disease would rise by 18 percent, from 176,000 to 208,000.
Poor diet, leading to a rise in obesity rates, as well as Britons’ smoking and excessive alcohol consumption are partly to blame for the rise, the charity said.
Michelle Mitchell, its chief executive, has warned that the UK is at risk of losing its reputation as a cancer “superpower” amid a £1bn funding gap.
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The analysis shows how many years of life an average cancer patient in the UK is likely to lose
The charity estimates there are currently 419,935 cases of cancer in the UK each year. However, this number is expected to rise to 505,565 by 2040.
According to Cancer Research UK, the number of deaths from the disease will also rise, from the current 176,376 to 208,022 in 2040.
However, it says 14,500 cases of cancer could be prevented over the next seventeen years if the government meets its smoke-free targets for those over 40 and 50, which means five per cent or less must be smokers by 2030.
In addition, a reduction in the proportion of heavy and very heavy drinkers and obesity rates by 10 percent is needed, it said.
Experts have warned that the poor state of NHS cancer services – which have repeatedly failed to meet key performance targets – is exacerbating the crisis.
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The risk of dying from cancer was higher for both men and women in countries with higher levels of poverty, largely due to higher rates of lung cancer. Above are the 10 counties in England that had the highest risk of dying from cancer at age 80 for men and women
When the pandemic first reached British shores, cancer treatment for some patients virtually stopped. Appointments have been canceled and diagnostic tests postponed as the government commits to protecting the NHS.
Experts estimate that 40,000 cases of cancer went undetected in the first year of the pandemic alone.
NHS cancer services are also consistently failing to meet their targets.
Official Health Services data for October on cancer waiting times show that only seven in ten (71 per cent) of patients referred urgently for suspected cancer received a cancer diagnosis within 28 days or were ruled out. The goal is 75 percent.
Only 89.4 percent wait a month or less before starting their first cancer treatment after choosing surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy. The target value is 96 percent, but it was never reached.
Less than two-thirds (63.1 percent) of patients started their first cancer treatment within two months of an urgent referral. According to NHS guidelines, 85 per cent of cancer patients should be treated within this time frame. But this goal was never achieved.
Ms Mitchell warned that investment in the detection and treatment of the disease cannot keep up with the increasing burden it brings.
She told the Times that Britain invests relatively less in cancer research than the US, which, combined with the impact of Brexit and disruption of clinical trials, makes it difficult to attract top scientists to the UK.
She said: “We are at a tipping point.” There are worrying signs on the horizon. And now is the time to take action to maintain our global leadership position for decades to come.”
While some forms of the disease, such as breast and prostate cancer, have seen rapid progress in cancer survival rates, others, such as lung and pancreatic cancer, have seen improvement at a snail’s pace.
The 10-year survival rate for common cancers is now more than 50 percent, and experts expect further improvements to be made in the coming decade.
A report by Cancer Research UK warned in November that there would be a £1bn funding gap for cancer research over the next decade.
Charities funded around two-thirds of government-funded cancer research in 2019, worth around £400m.
Dr. Owen Jackson, director of policy at Cancer Research, said spending was “going less far now” because of inflation and the company receiving fewer donations from the public struggling with the cost of living.
Ms Mitchell told the newspaper: “The public is watching very closely to see if there is a clear strategy, strong leadership, a good plan with some funding to ensure we are a global leader and not not lag behind the global market.” Cancer.
“At the moment it’s not good enough.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “Research and life sciences are vital in the fight against cancer, which is why we invest £1 billion a year through the National Institute for Health and Care Research.”
“We have also signed new partnerships with BioNTech and Moderna, which means NHS patients can be the first in the world to benefit from potential cancer vaccines.”
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
