Cancer treatment: the enemy is gradually losing ground
Medicine defeats cancer
More than half of Britons were able to fully recover from the disease
Half of women survive cancer
Rebecca Smith, The Daily Telegraph, 24/03/2009
Translation: GZT.RU
A study conducted in European countries showed that approximately 40 thousand men and 60 thousand women in England were able to recover from cancer. The analysis revealed that 67.4% of women with breast cancer and 39.9% of patients with colon cancer were able to defeat the disease. Among patients with stomach cancer, this figure is 12.4%, with prostate cancer – 44%.
Experts recognize that many types of cancer are curable today, but the success of treatment depends on how much money is allocated for treatment by local health authorities and at what stage the patient is diagnosed. The chances of a complete cure increase if the disease can be detected at an early stage.
The study was published yesterday in a special issue of the European Journal of Cancer. It showed that despite great success in the fight against cancer within the national health system, England is still lagging behind other European countries.
Professor Mike Richards, Director of the Cancer Control Service within the national health system, is confident that cancer can be cured in many cases: "This is good news. Especially considering that we can undoubtedly improve these indicators," he believes. – The main difference between us and other countries is the late diagnosis of the disease. That is why it is so important to raise public awareness of both the symptoms of the disease and the benefits of early diagnosis. This is the best way to increase the cure rate. If we succeed, we will be able to stand on the same level with European leaders."
Michael Summers from the Patients Association expressed surprise at all how the words "cancer" and "cure" can be in the same sentence. "We should be grateful for this, but we should not be complacent about what we have achieved," says Summers. "Although we are pleased that improvements are taking place, but we have not yet risen to the right level. Many drugs that are sold in Europe are not available in our country. Although there are certain advantages over countries where the treatment technology is similar to ours, but we had to achieve better results."
The study was part of the EuroCare project, the broadest European epidemiological study to determine the level of survival among cancer patients. It includes data obtained from 49 countries based on the case histories of 13.5 million patients with cancer diagnosed between 1988 and 1999.
The researchers processed data on the survival rate of patients and came to the conclusion that the percentage of people recognized as recovered and defeated cancer in Europe has increased. It is believed that the number of people cured in the United States is about the same level, although America did not participate in the study.
Male patients with all forms of cancer have the greatest chance of salvation in Iceland, where the total number of recovered is 46.6%. It is followed by Switzerland, Norway and Sweden.
In England, 34.5% of men recover, which is higher than in Scotland, Slovenia and Poland, which took the last place with an indicator of 21.3%.
Among women, France is considered to be the country with the greatest chances of recovery – the percentage of patients cured of cancer there is 58.6%. It is followed by Finland and Sweden. In England, 49.8% of women are recognized as cured, which is more than in Scotland, Slovenia, the Czech Republic and Poland, which again closes the list with 38%.
Michael Coleman, professor of epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, stressed the importance of early diagnosis.
"We know that the difference in cure rates in various European countries, especially in the UK and Europe as a whole, is at least partially explained by later diagnosis, since mortality among patients diagnosed at later stages of the disease is inevitably higher than among patients with early diagnosis," he said.
Researchers claim that countries where mandatory breast screening was introduced for the population in the mid-1990s now show higher cancer cure rates. The UK was the first country in the world to introduce this program in 1988.
The study says: "The number of all cured cancer diseases is an important overall indicator that the state is in control of the situation, since this indicator reflects progress in the diagnosis and treatment of the disease, as well as the success of campaigns to prevent the most common types of cancer."
In addition to the number of cured patients, the researchers also analyzed the life expectancy of those who died of cancer.
Women who died of breast cancer in England lived approximately 4.58 years after diagnosis – compared to 6.89 years among women in Iceland, 6.08 years in Italy and 5.81 years in Finland. However, these figures are influenced by the presence or absence of a screening program in the country, which helps to identify a tumor at earlier stages of its development.
Portal "Eternal youth" www.vechnayamolodost.ru25.03.2009