More people than ever survive cancer in the UK, according to the latest figures.

Like many other countries, Britain keeps extensive data on cases of cancer and the outcome. The Office of National Statistics released good news from the year 2001 which shows a general increase in survival for cancer patients.

Almost 80 per cent of women with breast cancer can now expect to survive for at least five years after their diagnosis. The improvement can be attributed to improvements in treatment and the benefits of screening, says Dr Lesley Walker, Director of Cancer Information at Cancer Research UK, the leading charity.

Survival from bowel cancer - the second biggest cancer killer in the UK - is also getting better and, it's hoped, could improve more if a national screening program is introduced. There's improved survival from lung cancer too, but still a lot to do in terms of persuading people to give up smoking. Finally, survival from prostate cancer is also increasing, but this may reflect an increase in the diagnosis of less serious cancers with prostate specific antigen testing.

Source

UK Office of National Statistics 31st October 2003