Macmillan warns of worrying gap in cancer survival rates between people living in the least and most deprived areas of Wales
Macmillan warns of worrying gap in cancer survival rates between people living in the least and most deprived areas of Wales
Macmillan Cancer Support is warning of a worrying gap in cancer survival rates between people living in the least and most deprived areas of Wales according to new data published today.
The warning follows the publication of Wales’ latest cancer survival statistics, which covers all people aged between 15 and 99 who were diagnosed with their first cancer between 2002 and 2018.
While overall there was a positive trend of slightly increased survival rates between 2002 and 2018, the latest data also shows that people living in more deprived areas of Wales have a far lower chance of surviving their cancer diagnosis.
The charity warns of a significant gap – more than 11% in one-year survival and 17% in five-year survival – between Wales’ least and most deprived communities.
Macmillan also warns that for certain cancers, such as lung cancer, the gap between survival outcomes between Wales’ least and most deprived communities appears to be widening.
Richard Pugh, Head of Partnerships for Macmillan Cancer Support in Wales, said: “People’s economic circumstances should play no role at all in cancer survival – for richer and poorer, there needs to be far greater equity so that everyone has the same chance of receiving the best possible outcome following their cancer diagnosis.
“These figures show that this is not happening.
“There is a huge disparity in both one and five-year survival rates between Wales’ least and most deprived areas and it is a difference that urgently needs to be addressed.
“Equally worrying is that this data shows that even before the coronavirus pandemic began, people in Wales’ most vulnerable and most deprived communities had a far lower chance of surviving a cancer diagnosis.
“We know that this awful pandemic has also has a disproportionate impact on those same communities, and there is now a desperate need to address this so that everyone in Wales is offered an equal chance of surviving cancer.
“Today’s statistics are also an important reminder that anyone with a concerning symptom that could be cancer – such as an ongoing cough, a new lump or unexplained bleeding – should contact their GP to get their symptoms checked as the earlier cancer is diagnosed, the better the outcome.
“If anyone is worried and needs advice, information or a chat you can call Macmillan for free on 0808 808 0000.”
