UK lung cancer coalition welcomes results on ‘be clear on cancer’ initiative
The UK Lung Cancer Coalition (UKLCC) today (12th March 2018) welcomes the publication of an evaluation report by Public Health England and the National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service (NCRAS) on the impact of the Be Clear on Cancer lung campaigns which ran from 2011 to 2014.1
Be Clear on Cancer is now in its eighth year, and has become a well-established, award-winning brand, working to improve cancer outcomes and reduce health inequalities. Early diagnosis is crucial to improving outcomes from cancer and other serious diseases. Be Clear on Cancer is part of the national drive to tackle cancer, contributing towards making earlier diagnosis a reality for the thousands of people diagnosed with cancer each year.
“While the results of the report are complex, what is clear is that these campaigns have raised awareness of the symptoms of lung cancer, prompting people to see their GPs, triggering increases in referrals for suspected cancer”, say Professor Mick Peake, author of the report, Clinical Lead for Early Diagnosis, NCRAS, and Chair of the UKLCC’s clinical advisory group. “This has led to a shift in the proportion of patients diagnosed with earlier stage disease, allowing them the possibility of securing more effective treatment.”
Lung cancer kills more people than any other cancer. In 2015 it accounted for 21% of all cancer deaths in England with 28,565 deaths and 36,637 new patients being diagnosed with the disease. Late presentation is a major problem and in 2015 over 70% of patients had essentially incurable disease by the time they reached specialist care.1
The UK Lung Cancer Coalition (UKLCC) is currently calling on governments, commissioners and the health care community to work together to raise five-year lung cancer survival rates to 25 per cent by 2025 across the UK.2
To access the report, click here: http://www.ncin.org.uk/cancer_type_and_topic_specific_work/topic_specific_work/be_clear_on_cancer