King Charles himself was recently diagnosed with cancer and is now a patron of Cancer Research UK, the world's leading independent cancer charity. We wanted to give them a call and talk about the latest trends and statistics in the country. John Shelton, head of cancer intelligence at Cancer Research UK, spoke to Chris Smith.
Jon – Really, it's a bit of a complicated picture. The number of new infections is increasing every year as the population ages and increases. Currently, around 375,000 new cases of cancer are diagnosed each year across the UK, but this is predicted to rise over the next few years, reaching around 500,000 per year by 2040. , it's more informative to look at the age-standardized rate, which about 10 years ago peaked around 2012 and is starting to show signs of decline. This is largely influenced by the four largest cancer sites: breast cancer, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, and prostate cancer. These four cancers themselves account for just over half of all cancers. If these cancers are excluded, the overall incidence has remained fairly stable over the past 25 years. There are different reasons and causes behind each trend. For example, lung cancer incidence has been declining for decades in men and only recently in women, which is very reflective of historical smoking rates. A lot is happening, and there is more we can do, including enacting smoke-free laws, that will help accelerate this decline in the coming years.
Chris – In summary, cancer rates among young people are decreasing, but as the population as a whole ages, there is still a huge number of cancers occurring. There are several reasons to be very happy about this, as in some respects we are seeing improvements that probably also reflect a number of lifestyle factors. Decreasing rates of smoking have probably improved living conditions and are helping a little. But what are the main concerns for you? Are there areas where things aren't going in the right direction?
Jon – Like I said, it's a mixed bag. Increases have been seen in some areas such as liver cancer, kidney, and thyroid (approximately 25% increase over the past 10 years). Generally, these are small cancer sites, but you will see this change in any of these areas. You need to understand what is really going on. This is why research to understand the causes behind these changes is important. Is it associated with preventable risk factors? Is there a genetic link? What's really causing the rise in these cancers? For example, as smoking progresses, so do other areas such as overweight and obesity, which are the biggest preventable risk factors after smoking. Relatively speaking, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is high in the UK compared to other European countries. There are other concerns we have. Some cancer sites are increasing in younger age groups, with colorectal cancer increasing by about 30% in people under 50 over the past decade. Some of that may actually be due to increased awareness of the symptoms. It may be about better diagnosis. There is a fecal immunochemical test (FIT) used for screening, but it can also be used in young people who present to their GP with symptoms. But it may also be a more concerning aspect. For example, changes in eating habits. This causes changes in the bacteria in our gut. Again, it's the research that really matters. Understanding what is driving these changes and what is driving the increase will allow us to understand and try to reverse the trends we are seeing.
Chris – Are you talking about cases, treatments, or both? In other words, if cancer cases are going up, that's a concern, but if we're finding cancer and dealing with it and getting people If the ability to heal is much better, that's probably a very good reason.
Jon – We've seen very good progress in terms of mortality. For example, cancer survival rates have doubled, and this is reflected in mortality rates. Yes, we may be diagnosing more people, we may see a slight increase in rates, but the mortality rate is decreasing this way. It has been about 1% per year over the past 10 years. For example, the 35-69 age group has seen a decline of about a third over the past 25 years. This is a great advance and has been confirmed in many cancer sites. However, despite these improvements, there is still much work to be done. Cancer still kills around one in four people in the UK. How do we reduce cancer mortality, whether through prevention, early detection and diagnosis, or the development of new treatments to improve outcomes for patients diagnosed with cancer? You have to really focus on what you can do.
Chris – Maybe it would be helpful for celebrities to talk about their diagnosis, treatments, etc. It should also stimulate changes in people's behavior regarding risk factors, which may increase people's awareness of the disease and make them more likely to take advantage of screening opportunities, etc.
Jon – It's always sad to hear the news of someone being diagnosed with cancer, but a cancer diagnosis can be difficult to share with the public, even family and loved ones. But when a famous person actually shares their cancer diagnosis, it creates even more awareness about cancer in general. This can have a positive impact on people's behavior. For example, when Jade Goody was diagnosed with cervical cancer and very sadly passed away, the public discussion led to the widespread use of cervical cancer screening and a very positive outcome from such a sad story. have become. In a discussion with Dame Deborah James, she communicated very clearly about bowel cancer and how it raises awareness not only of bowel cancer but cancer in general and empowers so many people to overcome it. I've seen it. Diagnosis and treatment. And we're seeing it more recently. This year, the King and Princess bravely announced and shared the news of their cancer diagnosis. It feeds into that discussion, raises awareness about cancer, reinforces the message we can give people that you know your body best, and helps people understand body changes that are worrisome. Remind people to seek medical help if needed.