Cancer is currently causing greater reductions in lifespans compared to the 1980s.
A recent analysis labeled as a ‘wake up call’ reveals that cancer is currently reducing the life expectancy of British individuals by 14 years.
Experts predict that the situation could deteriorate further, with patients now having to endure an additional year compared to those diagnosed in the 1980s.
An esteemed cancer specialist expressed the need to prioritize cancer once again based on the latest survival statistics. Similarly, another expert urged for cancer to be addressed with the same level of enthusiasm as the renowned Covid vaccine initiative.
However, the analysts conducting the study found that the data showcased the effectiveness of cancer screening programs in Britain, despite some contradictory aspects.
Researchers conducted the first-ever analysis and found that cancer causes a loss of over two million years of life annually in the UK.
A new analysis has shown the years of life an average cancer patient in the UK is expected to lose, the amount of life lost in terms of all cancers has increased to 14.1 from 13.4 in the 1980s
Breast cancer is the most prevalent form of cancer in the UK, with approximately 56,000 cases being diagnosed annually.
A team at Cancer Research UK, King’s College London and Queen Mary University of London used average life expectancy and cancer death data to work out time lost.
On average, cancer patients diagnosed between 1988 and 1992 were robbed of 13.4 years of life.
In 2013-17, on average, patients lost 14.1 years due to cancer, despite numerous advancements in its treatment.
There was a small decline compared to the previous five-year period.
According to experts interviewed by MailOnline, the increase in life expectancy has resulted in a larger impact on individuals diagnosed with cancer today compared to three decades ago.
However, others cautioned that the alarming condition of cancer services in the NHS, which consistently fall short of meeting crucial performance goals, could worsen the number of years lost in the future.
Professor Karol Sikora, an esteemed oncologist with extensive expertise spanning four decades, not associated with the research, elucidated that in theory, individuals were experiencing extended lifespans rather than cancer deteriorating.
He stated that the increase in the average lifespan of the population resulted in individuals having a greater potential loss from the illness.
“He stated that we are losing additional years of life due to the fact that our overall lifespan has significantly increased.”
In recent years, the life expectancy for both men and women in England and Wales has increased significantly to approximately 80 years, which is around 10 years higher than it was in the 1970s.
Professor Sikora, ex-chief of the World Health Organization’s Cancer Program, The data should not diminish the significant advancements in cancer research achieved in recent decades.
For instance, drugs used to pummel tumours have been found since the,
New medications and groundbreaking screening programs have been implemented, which have been acknowledged for their ability to detect numerous cancers at an early stage when treatment is most effective.
Professor Sikora emphasized that within a single generation of doctors, the rates of successful cancer treatment have increased from 34 percent to nearly 51 percent.
Unfortunately, he anticipated that the number of years lost to cancer would rise as a result of the Covid pandemic’s impact on the NHS and its consistent inability to meet treatment goals.
“He mentioned that individuals will arrive with more advanced disease stages.”
As a consequence of the efforts made to effectively address Covid, a significant number of years of life have been lost to cancer due to the resulting disruptions.
Prostate cancer follows closely behind with 52,000 cases diagnosed in men each year
Lunch cancer, while not the most common form of the disease, is one of the biggest cancer killers in the Uk with a survival rate of just 10 per cent
Dr. Judith Offman, a researcher from King’s College, and one of the authors in the recent study, explained that the rise in the average number of years lost per patient was a result of multiple contributing factors.
She mentioned that, despite the contradiction, the improvement in life expectancy and the effectiveness of screening programs for diseases such as breast and cervical cancer have both played a role in the rise of average years of life lost per patient.
Dr. Offman stated that programs such as the one for breast cancer, which invites women aged 50 to 71 for mammograms, have been highly effective in identifying cancers at an early stage. This is particularly beneficial for older women as it allows for easier and more successful treatment.
Nevertheless, this has led to a overall change in the patient population affected by advanced stage cancers, with a higher proportion being younger women who are not routinely included in screening programs.
She stated that this has led to a rise in the average number of years lost per patient, as those who are diagnosed at a later stage are more difficult to treat.
The reasons behind this are primarily the effectiveness of cancer screening programs, advancements in treatments, and a rise in life expectancy.
The concept may seem contradictory – a decrease in overall years of life lost is generally positive, but in the case of breast and cervical cancer, the analysis revealed a slight rise in the average years of life lost per patient.
However, it is crucial to bear in mind that the rates of years of life lost in these cancers have significantly declined among the UK population, and this is an achievement worth acknowledging.
When the pandemic first arrived in the UK, cancer care for certain patients was significantly disrupted. Appointments were cancelled and diagnostic scans were postponed due to the Government’s focus on safeguarding the NHS.
During the initial year of the pandemic, it is estimated that approximately 40,000 cases of cancer were not diagnosed by experts.
NHS cancer services consistently fall short of meeting their goals.
Official health service data on cancer waiting times show that just six in ten (62.6 per cent) cancer patients were seen within the two-month target in July. NHS guidelines state 85 per cent of cancer patients should be seen within this timeframe.
Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer and kills 16,800 Brits every year
Melanoma which primarily caused by UV damage to the skin from the sun or tanning beds is one of the most preventable cancers with Cancer Research UK estimating nearly 9 in 10 cases could be prevented
The system has been experiencing issues before Covid, and the national target has not been achieved since December 2015.
Professor Sikora urgently requested that officials from the NHS and Department of Health increase resources for patients who are suspected or confirmed to have cancer.
“He stated that the NHS must acknowledge the presence of a cancer issue.”
“I cannot reword”
He suggested providing staff with incentives such as tax benefits and childcare support in order to encourage them to work additional hours.
He advised treating it with equal enthusiasm as the vaccine program.
Jon Shelton, the head of cancer intelligence at CRUK, stated that there is no reason to be alarmed about the rise in the number of years lost due to cancer for patients.
Nevertheless, he expressed concern and emphasized that there is still a need for improvement in prevention.
“He expressed his concern and emphasized the need for improvement. It is crucial to prioritize cancer prevention in order to reduce its impact in the future.”
He added measures like the HPV vaccine programme reducing the risk of cervical cancer and newly-announced plans to phase out smoking in young people as fresh sources of optimism that could reverse the trend.
Nevertheless, he acknowledged the urgent need for the NHS to enhance the delivery of cancer services.
“He stated that it is necessary to invest in and prioritize the service to ensure prompt patient care.”
‘The more we can do and keep cancer on top of the agenda, and improve survival, prevent more cases where we can, diagnose as early as possible, these will help to bring down the years of life lost in the future.
Although there has been significant advancement in cancer survival rates for certain types of the disease, such as breast and prostate cancers, progress for lung and pancreatic cancers has been extremely slow.
Experts predict that in the next decade, there is potential for further enhancements in the survival rates of various common cancers, which have already surpassed 50% over a 10-year period.
NHS figures on cancer waiting times showed that just six in ten (62.6 per cent) cancer patients were seen within the two-month target. NHS guidelines state 85 per cent of cancer patients should be seen within this time-frame. This target has not been met nationally since December 2015
“People and their families who are truly missing out are the ones behind all these figures.”
Professor Pat Price, an oncologist and the chair of Radiotherapy UK, as well as a co-founder of Catch Up With Cancer, expressed that CRUK’s analysis should serve as a reminder to take action.
She stated that the national cancer crisis involves the loss of over 2 million years of life annually due to cancer, with half of the new cancer cases affecting adults between the ages of 50 and 74.
The assessment of the impact of cancer on both individuals and society is crucial, and it should serve as a reminder to prioritize cancer on the Government and Treasury’s agenda.
A 10 percent increase in the risk of death may occur for every four-week delay in treatment.
“We require implementation to support these proposed solutions, including investing in equipment and personnel, in order to decrease the alarming amount of years of life lost due to this destructive illness.”
According to the CRUK analysis, approximately 167,000 individuals in the UK succumb to cancer annually, equivalent to an average of 460 deaths per day.
High diagnosis and poor survival rates mean around a fifth of the total lost years are from lung cancer, with more than 500,000 per year.
Patients with lung, liver, pancreas, and stomach cancer usually experienced a life expectancy reduction of 14 years. For breast and ovarian cancer, the average reduction was 17 years, while cervical cancer resulted in a reduction of 25 years. Testicular cancer, on the other hand, had a staggering impact, reducing life expectancy by 33 years.
Thanks to advancements in diagnosis and treatment, the rates of stomach cancer have decreased by 59%, cervical cancer by 58%, and breast cancers by 39%.
In 1988, approximately 43,600 years of life were lost due to cervical cancer. However, thanks to the cervical screening program, this number has significantly decreased to around 21,800 in 2017.
The examination revealed that liver, melanoma, and kidney cancer have experienced rises in rates of years of life lost primarily due to an increase in the number of cases.
The increase in years lost to liver cancer, which has risen by 157 percent over the past 30 years, is attributed to the growing prevalence of obesity and alcohol consumption.
The analysis of testicular cancer revealed a lower count of years lost due to the disease, primarily because the survival rates are generally favorable.
In exceptional instances when the illness resulted in death, the average number of years lost was significant, reaching 33 years, due to the premature demise of patients.
