Detection programme nips cancers at stage one

ALMOST a quarter of people diagnosed with the three most common cancers had their disease detected at the earliest stage, new figures show.

In 2010 and 2011, 23% of people with breast, bowel or lung cancer were diagnosed at stage one.

Almost two in five breast cancer patients were diagnosed at this stage, with 38.2% of the cancers detected at the earliest opportunity.

About one in six (17.2%) bowel cancer cases and about one in eight cases (13.1%) lung cancer cases were detected at stage one.

The higher early-detection rate for breast and bowel cancers may result from screening programmes.

The Scottish Government’s Detect Cancer Early programme, launched in Feburary last year, aims to increase the number of people diagnosed at stage one by 25% by the end of 2015.

The focus is on breast, bowel and lung cancers, which accounted for 45% of all forms of cancer diagnosed in 2011.

Health Secretary Alex Neil said: “We know that more lives can be saved in Scotland through earlier detection, as the earlier a cancer is diagnosed the greater the chance it can be treated successfully.

“That is why we launched our Detect Cancer Early initiative last year, which aims to increase the percentage of cancers detected at the earliest stage by the end of the parliamentary term.

“To do this we need more people to be aware of the signs and symptoms of cancer, and for people to participate in our screening programmes, as these are the best ways for cancer to be picked up early.

“We have already successfully run our breast cancer drive which saw the number of women going to their GP with breast symptoms increase by 50%.

“We recently launched our bowel cancer campaign and we plan to run a further lung cancer drive later on this year.”

Source The Herald