Be Clear on Cancer initiative hopes to fight spiralling kidney cancer cases

Today will see a new public health campaign launched across the UK in an effort to raise awareness about kidney cancer after health officials have found the number of diagnoses in England to have soared by almost a third in the last 10 years.

West Bromwich Albion midfielder Youssouf Mulumbu and referee Dave Nixon took part in a photoshoot at the Hawthorns to promote Be Clear on Cancer initiative, and were later joined by fans and even mascot Baggie the Bird to show the new heat-sensitive urinals at the stadium.

When used, they will display the words: “If you notice blood in your pee, even if it’s just once, tell your doctor.” The posters will hopefully be effective at alerting fans who could be at risk of bladder and kidney cancers.

Following away fixtures at Stoke City and Liverpool, West Bromwich Albion will play at home against struggling Crystal Palace on November 2 – the first game where the heat-reactive posters will be utilised.

The Be Clear on Cancer campaign primarily looks to increase awareness of the signs and symptoms of cancer and urging anyone with symptoms to visit their doctor immediately, before it is too late.
The campaign will be advertised on TV, radio, and in print and until November 20, in the hope that thousands of lives can be saved each year.

In fact, according to Cancer Research UK, an estimated 16,600 people in England are diagnosed with bladder and kidney cancers each year, resulting in 7,500 deaths. The number of deaths from kidney cancer alone has risen by 7% in the last 10 years.

Sean Duffy, national clinical director for cancer at NHS England, said: “Over the last ten years we have seen the incidence rate of kidney cancer increase by 31%, which is a substantial climb and largely down to unhealthy lifestyles. Although survival rates have been improving, this rise in cases has led to an increase in the number of deaths from the disease. As an increasing number of people are affected by kidney cancer, it’s important that the public are aware of the early signs to look out for, such as blood in pee. Only then will we see an increase in early diagnosis rates and a further positive impact on England’s survival rate.”

Singer Peter Andre, tragically lost his brother Andrew, 54, to kidney cancer last year, and is throwing his full support behind the drive to increase cancer awareness. He said: “I can’t urge you enough, if you spot blood in your pee, even if it’s just the once, visit your GP as soon as possible.”

Unfortunately, in the majority of cases, there are no symptoms in the early stages of kidney cancer. Mid-to advanced-stage kidney cancer is when symptoms are usually evident such as the aforementioned blood in your urine, and you may also suffer with a constant pain underneath your ribs and have a lump in your abdomen (stomach).

Visit your GP if you notice blood in your urine. It may not be kidney cancer you have – usually determined via an ultrasound scan – but the blood in your urine may be the result of a less serious condition such as kidney stone or bladder stone and these still require treatment.

The exact cause(s) of kidney cancer are still unknown, but the main risk factors for developing the disease are through smoking, obesity and a family history.

Poor lifestyle choices causes a surge in cancer rates

There are fresh concerns that poor choices in lifestyle may be attributed to a large increase in the number of certain cancers following the publication of data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The number of cases of malignant melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer, has seen the biggest rise, shooting up by 56% amongst men and 38% for women between the years 2002 and 2011.

Melanoma is relatively rare, but has become more prominent in recent times because of the surge in people using sunbeds. The cancer is caused due to cells beginning to abnormally develop in the skin and health experts believe it is exposure to UV light from natural or artificial sources such as a sunbed could be responsible. It starts within the skin and may spread to organs in the body. A usual sign of this cancer is the change of an existing mole of the sudden appearance of a new one.

Health experts at the ONS believe the rise in melanoma cases could be due to gradual changes in the nation’s fashion choices, with people more skin-revealing clothes in recent years. This together with large amounts of the population sunbathing at every rare chance of sunshine across the country and an increase in the use of sunbeds has put people at risk.

ONS statistics also show that in total, all combined new cases of cancer across England increased by a fifth between 2002 and 2011 – with 274,233 patients being diagnosed with cancer in 2011. From the 274,233, men made up 139,120 of the new diagnoses compared with 135,113 women. Both figures will no doubt be a lot more after additional hospital admissions are included in the totals.
The most prominent cancers in men are still the previous common types; prostate (25.6%), lung (13.8%) and colorectal (13.6%).

Smoking and poor diet are the main factors responsible for a surge in oral cancers, which have increased by 37%. Kidney cancer has also increased by 25% in men and 36% in women.

Both of these cancers are heavily linked to excessive alcohol consumption and tobacco usage. In fact these two factors together are believed to actually account for a staggering three-quarters of all oral cancer cases in Europe.

Nick Ormiston-Smith, statistical information manager at Cancer Research UK, spoke on how the nation’s poor lifestyle choices are being underestimated and are causing huge health problems later in life.

He said: “Forty per cent of cancers can be attributed to lifestyle factors so swapping some bad habits for healthier ones can help reduce the risk of developing the disease. Smoking increases the risk of at least 14 forms of cancer including lung, bowel, pancreatic and mouth. Cutting down on alcohol, keeping to a healthy weight, avoiding sunburn and being more active can also help reduce the risk of many cancers. Leading a healthy life doesn’t guarantee you won’t get cancer but it can stack the odds in your favour.”

After seeing the alarming ONS figures, Ciarán Devane, chief executive at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “It is startling that the number of new cases of cancer diagnosed has soared by nearly a fifth in the last ten years. However, it is important to note that this overall figure disguises a wide variation across the cancer types. While it is welcome news that the number of new cases of ovarian and stomach cancer rates have decreased, malignant melanoma is up by a huge 66 per cent. Today’s ONS figures also reveal a worrying gender gap. Cancer affects women more in younger age groups, but men are significantly worse affected over the age of 60. The reasons for this are complex and only partially understood. Further research needs to be carried out to understand these differences better. We are warning that the rising numbers of cancer patients poses a huge challenge for the NHS as it will not be able to cope with the surge in demand unless it puts the necessary plans and resources in place now.”

Male bowel cancer rates have soared by almost 30% in 35 years

A study conducted by Cancer Research UK suggests that male bowel cancer rates have soared by over a quarter in the past 35 years, with just a 6% increase for women in the same period according to the charity.

New figures have emerged as we begin bowel cancer awareness month, and have coincided with the launch of a new campaign by the Bobby Moore Fund called ‘Make Bobby Proud’. The Fund is a partnership with Cancer Research UK that first began back in 1993 by Stephanie Moore MBE, the widow of the 1966 World Cup winning England captain Bobby Moore, and has raised an incredible £18.8 million since its inception.

The England legend tragically passed away in 1993 after a hard fought battle against the disease. Not only helping to raise funds for advanced research into bowel cancer, the Fund also looks to raise awareness of a disease that claims the lives of 44 people in the UK each day.

The new research shows that cases of bowel cancer in men have risen from 45 per 100,000 in 1975-77 to 58 per 100,000 in 2008-10 – representing an increase of 29%.

However, during the same time frame for women, there was a lower incidence of the disease with 35 per 100,000 increasing to 37 per 100,000.

Biggest increases of bowel cancer were seen in people aged in their 60s and 70s, with approximately 23,000 new cases being diagnosed each year.

There is some positive news however; it appears that bowel cancer survival rates are improving with evidence suggesting that half of all patients living for at least a decade after their diagnosis.

Professor Matthew Seymour, from the University of Leeds, who is director of the National Cancer Research Network, said: “We know the risk of bowel cancer increases as we get older and, since we’re all living longer, it’s no surprise to see that the number of people getting the disease is rising. But when we look at these figures and take people’s age into account, we still see that the risk of bowel cancer has gone up in men in the last 35 years. It’s important to find out what’s behind the rise and what we can do about it. The good news is that, thanks to research, we have seen huge improvements in bowel cancer survival over the last 40 years. It’s this research that’s led to better drugs to treat the disease, improved surgical techniques, the use of more radiotherapy and the introduction of bowel screening to spot the disease earlier, when it is most effectively treated.”

Mrs Moore added: “It’s good to see that despite the rise in incidence, bowel cancer survival is improving. However, it’s vital we continue to fund research to fight this disease as these new statistics show. Bowel cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in the UK, after lung cancer. Finding a way to beat bowel cancer has been my goal for the past two decades and my hope is that by increasing awareness and helping to fund Cancer Research UK’s vital research, many more lives can be saved from this terrible disease in the future.”

Bowel cancer is also sometimes referred to as rectal, colorectal or colon cancer, depending on where the cancer begins. It is the third most common type of cancer within England and in 2009 alone, it was reported there were 41,142 new cases of bowel cancer. Of these new cases, 18,431 were diagnosed in women and 22,711 cases were diagnosed in men. It is uncommon for those under the age of 40 to develop the cancer, with around 85% of new cases being diagnosed in people over the age of 65.

Factors that increase the risk of bowel cancer include: having an inactive lifestyle, smoking, heavy alcohol intake (over 4 units a day) and obesity. In addition, others at risk are those with a high intake of processed foods, red meat, low-fibre foods and high-fat foods.

The cancer can be sometimes difficult to ascertain and the symptoms are sometimes similar to other less life-threatening conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome. However, if you experience symptoms for longer than a few weeks, it is recommended you seek medical attention as soon as possible. Symptoms include: Blood in your faeces, the appearance of mucus in the faeces, inexplicable weight loss, persistent abdominal pain lasting longer than two weeks, severe constipation or diarrhoea lasting longer than two weeks and tiredness as a result of becoming anaemic from microscopic bleeding from the bowel.

If you have any of these symptoms, Medical Specialists Pharmacy advise that you visit your GP immediately. Your GP may want to check for bowel cancer by conducting a rectal examination to check for any abnormal changes at the lower end of the bowel. Another test your GP may want to refer you to is one called ‘faecal occult bloods’ (FOBs). Here, many samples of your faeces are scanned for any possible microscopic amounts of blood lost from a tumour. If a diagnosis is made, a ‘Dukes’ staging’ is given to the cancer to determine how it is likely to progress or conclude which is the best course of treatment to go for the patient.

Scientific breakthrough in determining early cancer risk

A ground-breaking study could pave the way for the introduction of a quick and simple £5 saliva test to determine a patient’s risk of developing breast or prostate cancer, and it could be available within just five years.

The saliva test would find those who are genetically susceptible to the cancers and lead to thousands of lives saved each year with high-risk patients being monitored and even undergo treatment early enough to stop a cancerous tumour from even beginning to develop.

The research into early cancer prevention was conducted by scientists at the University of Cambridge and the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in London and funded by Cancer Research UK (CRUK) and the Wellcome Trust.

Researchers studied the DNA extracted from approximately 200,000 people; of which half were suffering from cancer and half were healthy. The massive project spanned four years of thorough genetic analysis by 1,000 scientists and they described their findings as the ‘single biggest leap forward’ in relation to the genetic causes of prostate cancer.

Each person is born with three billion pieces of code comprised of chemical letters: A, C, T and G; known as the ‘genome’ and is passed to us from our parents. A single nucleotide polymorphism is a single letter variation in DNA between people and we can have millions of these variations. Because cancer patients were compared with healthy individuals, scientists were able to see the genetic spelling mistakes that were prominent in the cancer group.

They discovered more than 80 genetic markers which are linked to the risk of somebody developing cancers. There were 49 for breast cancer, 23 for prostate cancer and 11 for ovarian cancer. Unfortunately, scientists were unable to ascertain around 60% of the genetic risk factors for the cancer types they focused, however their findings can still help increase knowledge of the inherited causes of the condition.

Interestingly, for the prostate cancer patients, 18 of the 23 variants were attributed to the most aggressive forms of the disease.

The next step for scientists is to create simple blood or saliva tests that can accurately obtain the future risk breast and prostate cancers. These samples would probably have to be sent off for a lab analysis but the hope is to have results available immediately at the doctors’ surgery.

New medicine for difficult-to-treat cancers could also be produced in addition to a new ovarian cancer test. It is thought that even bowel and lung cancers risks may be found with similar methods.
Dr Harpal Kumar, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: “It can help us identify exactly what is driving different types of cancer, which could enable us to develop new therapeutic approaches.”
He added: “By understanding why some people seem to be at greater risk of developing cancer we can look towards an era where we can take steps to reduce their chances of getting cancer or pick up the disease at its earliest stages. The principle is broad and the potential gains are huge.”

Professor Ros Eeles, from the Institute of Cancer Research, also commented: “These results are the single biggest leap forward in finding the genetic causes of prostate cancer yet made. The work could have a big impact on the number of people dying from the disease, which is still far too high.”

570 children start smoking each day

The Smoking Time Machine smartphone app could not have emerged at a better time it appears after new research suggests that approximately 207,000 11 to 15-year-olds take up smoking every year across the UK. This is the total number from 2011 according to Cancer Research UK – up from 157,000 in 2010.

Broken down, this statistic equates to 570 youngsters lighting up their first cigarette every day in the UK, a staggering statistic and especially when considering the legal age to purchase tobacco products is 16.

The shocking figures came from the annual Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use Among Young People in England survey.

Following Cancer Research UK’s study of the smoking habits of children in 2010 and 2011, they also found that nearly one in three (27%) under-16s have smoked at least once. This works out at one million children and with eight out of 10 adult smokers beginning prior to turning 19, clearly something needs to be done.

With that in mind, the charity is now calling for all cigarettes to be sold in plain, standard packaging. Australia became the world’s first country to implement this innovative anti-smoking plan in December 2012. The legislation forced all tobacco company logos to be banned from packages and instead replaced by bland, dreary green/brown-coloured packaging with accompanying unpleasant text and photographic warnings.

There is also concern about the addictive nature of cigarettes, with impressionable children initially beginning to smoke and then finding it hard to quit, which will continue into their later years.
The 2010 survey discovered that none of the 12-year-olds were regular smokers, 1% smoked occasionally and 2% said they used to smoke.

However just a year later and within the same group of children, 2% were regularly smoking, 4% smoked occasionally and 3% said they used to smoke. It is believe that around 50% of all long-term smokers will succumb to a smoking-related illness, adding up to 100,000 deaths a year.

Cancer Research UK claim that research shows children regard plain packaging as unappealing and are with such packaging are probably unlikely to be misled by sophisticated marketing that aims to make smoking seem an attraction proposition.

Sarah Woolnough, the charity’s executive director of policy and information, said: “With such a large number of youngsters starting to smoke every year, urgent action is needed to tackle the devastation caused by tobacco. Replacing slick, brightly coloured packs that appeal to children with standard packs displaying prominent health warnings is a vital part of efforts to protect health. Reducing the appeal of cigarettes with plain, standardised packs will give millions of children one less reason to start smoking.”

Public Health Minister Anna Soubry, added: “It’s worrying that these figures show that more 15-year-olds are trying cigarettes. We have consulted on introducing standardised packaging, looking at whether this could reduce smoking in young people. We have an open mind about this. Any decisions to take further action will be taken only after full consideration of the consultation responses and evidence.”

Sunbed cancer risk could be worse than previously thought

Winter in Britain is not the most ideal time and place to pick up a tan due to the typical dark, gloomy and rain-filled conditions. For those who want to boast a slightly darker shade without having to splash the cash on an expensive holiday, the last resort for many men and women is to use sunbeds or fake tanning products to achieve the bronzed appearance they require.

However, the findings of a new Cancer Research UK funded study could now deter people from using sunbeds as shockingly nine out of every ten sunbeds in England are failing to adhere to health and safety standards, leaving millions at risk of developing potentially-fatal skin cancer (melanoma).

Researchers from the University of Dundee inspected 402 different sunbeds in England between 2010 and 2011 and to their horror found that the levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation emitted were approximately on average twice as high than recommended limits on the majority of the sunbeds. Only 10% of those inspected were actually in-line with safety limits – 0.3 watts per square metre (Wm2) ultraviolet (UV) radiation limit. This means 90% had an average UV radiation level of around 0.6Wm2.

The researchers took into account the chance of developing skin cancer from sunbeds and contrasted this against the risk a person might have of getting skin cancer from tanning themselves naturally under the baking heat of the Mediterranean sunshine. They discovered that the risk of skin cancer from sunbeds was over double that of spending the same time period in the midday sunshine.

Lead researcher Professor Harry Moseley, consultant medical physicist at University of Dundee, said: “The development of high-power sunlamps, along with clear failures of the sunbed industry to regulate themselves effectively, is putting young people at an even greater risk of skin cancer than we previously thought. We hope that these findings will make people think twice before using sunbeds as you can’t be sure how much radiation you’re exposing yourself to when you try to top up a tan. People need to be encouraged to take better care of their skin; otherwise the cases of malignant melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, will continue to increase.”

However, Gary Lipman, from the Sunbed Association, which represents the companies which manufacture and operate tanning station, hit back at the study and stressed that the information compiled was several years out-of-date. He said: “The findings of this study are two years out of date. If the study was undertaken today, the results would be dramatically different. Sunbeds have been required to have a maximum UV output since 2009 and the Sunbed Association has been working with its members, non-members and the enforcement departments within local authorities since that time to inform about the change in UV emission levels and advise how to become compliant and ensure compliance.”

Melanoma is relatively rare, but has become more prominent in recent times because of the surge in people using sunbeds. The cancer is caused due to cells beginning to abnormally develop in the skin and health experts believe it is exposure to UV light from natural or artificial sources such as a sunbed could be responsible. It starts within the skin and may spread to organs in the body. A typical sign of this cancer is the alteration of an existing mole of the sudden appearance of a new one.

Medical Specialists Pharmacy advises you to see your GP as soon as possible if you notice any changes on your skin that do not clear within a month. If possible, document any potential changes in this time by taking photographs. Other alterations could occur on the skin that may not be cancer – especially within older people, however it is still advised that you visit your doctor so he can rule out cancer or any other serious conditions. They may refer you to a skin specialist or a specialist plastic surgeon if they suspect skin cancer or are unable to give an official diagnosis.

One in two men will develop cancer by 2027

As the number of men developing cancer is on the rise, UK health experts believe that by the year 2027 men will have a one in two chance of developing the disease.

The increase will change from the current 44 in 100 chance, to a 50 in 100 chance and is mostly because of the fact that people are generally living longer according to Cancer Research UK who teamed with Wolfson Institute of Preventative Medicine at Queen Mary, University of London to offer forecasts for the future.

Projections were formulated after studying previous information available about cancer incidence and mortality rates, in addition to projected population data for the UK.

In 2010 it was calculated that 324,000 people were diagnosed with cancer in the UK and this is expected to hit 416,000 by 2027. For men, the total is expected to reach over 221,000, up from 164,000 back in 2010.

The projections estimated that more than 194,000 women will be diagnosed with cancer in 2027, compared with 160,000 in 2010. Therefore, the predictions seem to be a similar pattern for women compared to men, with a lifetime risk which will increase from 40 to 44 out of 100 according to the researchers.

Cancer Research UK’s chief executive Harpal Kumar says that ‘it’s only through research that we will be able to beat cancer’, further adding: “We need to do more work to understand what drives cancer and how we can prevent it, as well as developing new treatments to reduce the number of people who will die from it.”

As mentioned previously, age is predicted to be the biggest risk factor for the disease and it is thought that the biggest increases in new cases will be seen in cancers of the bowel and prostate, as well as melanoma – the most dangerous type of skin cancer and most often brought on because of ultraviolet light (radiation) from the sun or excessive sunbed use.

Dr Kumar says the figures offer an outlook into the future and what challenges health authorities may face. One such challenge is developing an efficient and effective method of screening men for prostate cancer.

Not every cancer within the prostate gland is aggressive or potentially life-threatening and some can live with this all their lives and experience no health problems. Unfortunately though, doctors do not have a reliable testing procedure in their possession that can identify ‘safe’ tumours that are ok to leave alone.

Alan White, chairman of the Men’s Health Forum and professor of men’s health at Leeds Metropolitan University, argues that another problem will be persuading men to attend screenings for prostate cancer should an effective test ever be developed. Prof White says that even though men have a higher chance of developing bowel cancer than women, a lot less men than women actually bother to go for screening for this cancer.

Prof White says: “It’s desperately important that men take up any opportunity to go for cancer screening that they can. Some men are fatalistic about cancer and screening. But screening does make a difference. If cancers are spotted earlier they are easier to treat. We also know that men who discuss screening with their doctor or their partner are more likely to take up the offer.”

New blood test could provide early diagnosis of cancer

Scientists claimed to have developed a simple blood test, which can accurately detect the early stages of breast and lung cancer in just an hour. Researchers from the Kansas State University developed the test that can detect cancer, even before symptoms like coughing and weight loss start.

The test works by detecting increased enzyme activity in the body. Iron nanoparticles coated with amino acids and a dye, are introduced to small amounts of blood or urine from a patient. The amino acids and dye interact with enzymes in the patient’s urine or blood sample. Each type of cancer produces a specific enzyme pattern, or signature, that can be identified by doctors.

The test was developed by chemistry professor Stefan Bossmann and anatomy professor Deryl Troyer. Professor Troyer said, “Right now the people who could benefit the most are those classified as at risk for cancer, such as heavy smokers and people who have a family history of cancer. The idea is these at risk groups could go to their physician’s office quarterly or once a year, take an easy to do, non invasive test, and be told early on whether cancer has possibly developed.”

The fact that this test specifically tests for lung cancer and breast cancer, is of significant importance. The American Cancer Society estimates about 40,000 breast cancer deaths and 160,000 lung cancer deaths are expected in the United States for 2012. Also as these statistics from Cancer Research UK show below, lung and breast cancer are the two most commonly diagnosed cancers worldwide.

The 10 Most Commonly Diagnosed Cancers Worldwide:

• Lung – (13%)
• Breast – (11%)
• Colorectum – (10%)
• Stomach – (8%)
• Prostrate – (7%)
• Liver – (6%)
• Cervix – (4%)
• Oesophagus – (4%)
• Bladder – (3%)
• Non Hodgkin Lymphoma – (3%)

Unfortunately breast and lung cancer also feature in the top 5, for most common causes of death from cancer worldwide. With the exception of breast cancer, most types of cancer can be categorized in 4 stages based on tumour growth and the spread of cancer cells throughout the body. The diagnosis is made in most situations in stage 2 or 3, when the survival rate is lower than stage 1 or 2.  In addition, Bossmann said, “that very few people manage to discover they have cancer in early stages.”

Breast and lung cancer are typically found and diagnosed in stage 2, the stage when people often begin exhibiting symptoms such as pain, fatigue and coughing. Numerous studies show that the earlier cancer is detected, the greater chance a person has against the disease. “The problem, though, is that nobody knows they’re in stage 1. There is often not a red flag to warn that something is wrong. Meanwhile, the person is losing critical time,” said Professor Bossmann.

Researchers evaluated the test’s accuracy on 32 separate participants in various stages of breast or lung cancer. Data was collected from 20 people with breast cancer, ranging in age from 36 to 81 years old and 12 people with lung cancer, ranging in age from 27 to 63 years old.

Twelve people without cancer were also tested as a control group. This group ranged in age from 26 to 62 years old. A blood sample from each participant was tested three times. Analysis of the data showed a 95 percent success rate in detecting cancer in participants.

Bossmann said, “These enzyme patterns can also help distinguish between cancer and an infection or other diseases, which commonly occur in the human body. For example, a person who smokes a lot of cigars may develop an inflammation in their lungs. That will drive up some of the markers in the test but not all of them. Doctors will be able to see whether there was too much smoke inhalation or if there is something more serious going on. False positives are something that we really want to avoid.”

In addition to early detection, the test can be used to monitor cancer and observe the effectiveness of drugs, as a patient is being treated. Similarly, doctors can use the dye in the test to determine if the entirety of a tumour has been successfully removed from a patient after surgery. The researchers have designed a second testing method that is anticipated to produce the same results in about five minutes. Also, researchers want to develop a similar test to detect pancreatic cancer earlier.

Cancer fatalities should drop as fewer people smoke

Just one week ago, Medical Specialists realise we may have painted a fairly gloomy picture of what life could be like in eighteen years’ time, when we reported how some were predicting obesity levels to soar by 2030 in both the UK and U.S.

However, maybe we should turn that frown upside down after all! With the ‘Stoptober’ campaign set to get underway next Monday, Cancer Research UK have released a whole set of estimations for the same year (2030), and they predict that the rates of many different types of cancer are set to decrease by this point. The positive statistics are also for the charities’ ‘Stand Up To Cancer’, a fundraising partnership between Cancer Research UK and Channel 4. The campaign’s finale will be live TV entertainment show to be broadcast on Friday October 19.

They say that more efficient diagnosis for cancers and treatment will result in a reduction in cancer death rates by up to 17% by 2030. Smoking is the cause of many cancers such as throat, lung, mouth, etc., and this harmful lifestyle choice was obviously the basis of their research. A main reason for the predicted 17% drop is because there are now less people smoking than previous years, which could be down to certain adverts depicting images of blackened lungs after the damaging long-term effects of smoking.

In 2010 it was calculated that for every 100,000 of the general population in the UK, 170 people died from cancer. By 2030 this figure is estimated to have dropped by then to 142 for every 100,000. Breast cancer death rates are predicted to decrease by 28%, bowel cancer should drop by 23% and prostate cancer by 16%. However the largest decrease appears to be ovarian cancer, which is forecast to nosedive by an impressive 42.6%.

Interestingly, some cancers could increase by mortality rates. Liver cancer appears to look to be the worst, with death rates expected to rise by 39%. That means there is an incidence increase from 4.2 to 5.9 per 100,000 people. Next is oral cancer, which may rise by 22%.  This is an incidence rise from 2.9 to 3.5 per 100,000 people.

Professor Peter Sasieni, Cancer Research UK epidemiologist at Queen Mary, University of London, spoke on the forecasts for 2030 and said, “Our latest estimations show that for many cancers, adjusting for age, death rates are set to fall dramatically in the coming decades. And what’s really encouraging is that the biggest cancer killers, lung, breast, bowel, and prostate, are part of this falling trend. Because old age is the biggest risk factor for cancer and more people are living longer, they have a greater chance of developing and, unfortunately, dying from the disease. But overall the proportion, or rate, of those who die from cancer is falling.”

Adding to Professor Sasieni’s comments was Dr Harpal Kumar, Cancer Research UK’s chief executive, who said, “These new figures are encouraging and highlight the huge progress we’re making. Research across many areas is having real impact. But we know there’s still so much more to do if we are to reach a day when no one dies prematurely from cancer. We continue to rely on the publics’ generosity to drive progress. This helps us turn discoveries made in our science labs into new treatments and to carry out clinical trials to find the best ways to treat patients. There are more exciting opportunities now to make a step-change than at any other time in history and we must grasp these.”

Britain’s raising cancer risk by not reporting symptoms to GP

Let’s face it, none of us like paying a visit to the doctors, especially if it involves discussing something of an embarrassing nature. However, it has now been found in a survey commissioned by Cancer ResearchUKand carried out by YouGov, that a worrying proportion of Brits put their health at risk by putting off visiting their GP.

The online survey of more than 2,000 adults was part of the ‘Spot Cancer Early’ campaign and it was designed to encourage people to see their GP, sooner rather than later if they notice any unusual or any persistent changes to their body. The campaign also aims to increase awareness of the huge improvements in cancer survival rates, since the 1970s. For instance, today in the UK, you are twice as likely to survive cancer than 40 years ago.

Dr Claire Knight, health information manager at Cancer Research UK, said, “We want people to know that you are more likely to survive cancer if it’s found at an early stage. It’s important to get to know your body so you’re familiar with what’s normal for you. If you notice any unusual or persistent changes, it’s really important to take the time to visit your doctor to talk about it.”

“People of all ages who notice a change, that’s persisted for a few weeks, should get it checked out by a doctor. More than likely it won’t be anything to worry about and it’ll be a load off your mind. But if it is something serious, spotting it early can make a real difference, because treatment is often simpler and more likely to be effective. A quick visit to your doctor could save your life.”

These statistics from the YouGov survey show the reasons why we wouldn’t report any unusual or persistent change to our bodies:

• Not wanting to waste the doctor’s time 19%
• Thinking that it will go away in its own time 32%
• Being worried about what the doctor might find 20%
• Not having time to visit the GP 14%
• The hassle of getting an appointment with the GP 24%
• Being embarrassed about the change to my body 14%
• None of these 29%
• Don’t know 2%

And these further statistics from the survey demonstrate our attitude towards any changes in our body and where on our list of priorities they would come, by asking the people surveyed, which one of these they would act on soonest:

• A broken washing machine 3%
• A lost/ stolen bank card 61%
• An unusual or persistent change to my body 12%
• Weeds in the garden 1%
• An unwell pet 17%
• A broken mobile phone 2%
• A leaky tap 1%
• None of these 1%
• Don’t know 2%

Cancer is most common in the over 50s, however people of all ages are also at risk, a fact that reinforces the importance of heading to the doctors in the event of spotting anything suspicious. By diagnosing cancer when it is in its infancy, it can, for the most part, be easier to treat, which in turn increases the chances of recovering.

Ann, 77 from Merseyside, was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2003. She said, “I was diagnosed after my GP referred me for an X-ray following an appointment. I had an operation and now, more than eight years on, I am living a very full and active life doing all the things I enjoy. Catching cancer early is so important. I think if anyone has any signs or symptoms they should see their doctor right away.”

Dr Knight was keen for people to note that any changes in a person’s body, aren’t necessarily synonymous with cancer. In most cases, it probably won’t be all that serious. What is important is for people to get it checked. So in conclusion it is much better to make a wasted trip to the doctor and have peace of mind, rather than allow a treatable cancer develop into full blown cancer, where treatment can no longer help.

Anti-smoking ‘Stoptober’ campaign to kick-off next month

A National stop smoking campaign funded by the Department of Health, and backed by both Cancer Research UK and the British Heart Foundation, will get underway next month. The primary aim will be a huge attempt to encourage the nation’s 8 million smokers to stub out cigarettes and embrace the beneficial impacts that doing this can have on their lives.

The new initiative is the first of its kind and has been named ‘Stoptober’. It will begin on 1^st October and last for a total of 28 days. The reasoning for this specific time period is because experts have claimed that if smokers stop for 28 days, they are actually five times more likely to completely quit forever.

The idea has seemingly come about after a realisation that people tend to quit smoking as part of their New Year’s Resolutions, quickly give-up, and then there is no motivation during the rest of the year to do anything similar. Martin Dockrell of ASH (Action on Smoking and Health) spoke about the scheme and said, “You get a surge of people quitting on New Year’s Day and in March on No Smoking day. But there’s nothing for the rest of the year.”

Maureen Talbot, Senior Cardiac Nurse at the British Heart Foundation released a media statement and spoke about why all smokers should get involved with Stoptober, saying, “Stopping smoking is the single best thing you can do for your own health as well as those you love and live with. Quitting also makes you look better by improving your skin and teeth and, of course, it helps your finances too.”

Any smoker who decides to accept the Stoptober challenge will be provided with a motivational kit that will give them daily encouragement as well as support in the way of television and radio advertising. There will also be roadshows taking place up and down the country which will give smokers the chance to get together and share their experiences during the four weeks.

In Britain it is estimated that 21% of adults smoke cigarettes and smoking is still the biggest cause of premature death in England, claiming roughly 100,000 lives each year. If more people finally decided to stop smoking for good then this would cause less heartache for families and less money wasted by the NHS at a time when their budgets are restrained by a government looking to reduce the countries deficit.

If you are a smoker and are considering giving the Stoptober challenge a go, here are some facts and statistics about smoking that may persuade you to commit to it:

. Tobacco contains approximately 50 chemicals that can be attributed to cancer.
. Smoking has been proven to be directly responsible for many types of cancer including mouth, lip, throat, lung, kidney, bladder, stomach, liver and cervix.
. Smoking accounts for 71% of all lung cancer deaths.
. Six million deaths around the globe are caused by smoking every year.
. Smokers are twice as likely to suffer from a heart attack in comparison to their non-smoking counterparts.
. In 2009 within the UK there were 102,000 fatalities due to smoking-related health conditions.
. Those with the willpower to finally quit can look forward to a physical boost such as a better sense of taste and smell, as well as a lot more energy.

Of course, not everybody will be able to successfully go ‘cold turkey’ for a stretch of 28 days. For the heavier smokers, this could be asking an awful lot of them to do. Other therapies that are worth considering include smoking cessation medication such as Champix which mimics the effects of nicotine on the body. Therefore, this medication simultaneously will decrease the urge you have to smoke and also relieve the withdrawal symptoms. It even manages to make the experience of smoking a less enjoyable one should you give-in to the cravings and decide to light up a cigarette.

Even healthy adults could benefit from cholesterol-busting statins

Current guidelines recommend the prescribing of the cholesterol-lowering medication statins such as Crestor and Lipitor to those people who have a 20% or more chance of developing cardiovascular disease within a decade.  This risk is determined by studying factors including age, blood pressure, if they smoke and also if they suffer from diabetes.

As the benefits of statins become more apparent, we have seen in recent months some doctors have considered the possibility of a ‘statins for all’ approach. The argument for the taking of statins on a more widespread basis has been backed up by a recent study that was carried out by researchers at Oxford University, working with counterparts at the University of Sydney. Funded by organisations such as Cancer Research UK and the British Heart Foundation, it entailed a meta-analysis of patient data spanning across 27 separate studies. All trials had analysed the process of lowering ‘bad’ cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein or LDL) within 175,000 people in total and through the use of statin therapy.

The primary basis for this thorough analysis appeared to be the consideration if everybody over the age of 50-years old should be given statins, irrespective of if they have any known vascular disease. An editorial that accompanied the review argued that the present guidelines need to be re-evaluated as it may be more cost-effective to prescribe those over 50 with statins, instead of the current method of using costly screening examinations.

In their conclusions the researchers said, “The present report shows that statins are indeed both effective and safe for people with a five-year risk of major vascular events lower than 10% who would typically not be judged suitable for statin treatment … and, therefore, suggests that treatment guidelines might need to be reconsidered.”

This huge review that further evaluated past research would seem to suggest that statins could indeed benefit those without existing cardiovascular disease and those who are not considered at high risk of developing it.  However, the individual benefit for those at low risk may be limited. In addition, the risk of any possible side effects when giving statins to those over of 50 would have to be taken into account when deducing the overall advantage. However, statins are widely acknowledged to be safe medications by most health professionals and it seems a future where many ‘healthy’ individuals are prescribed statins may be a real possibility.

It seems even the risk of cancer cannot persuade Brits to drop their excess baggage

Brits do not seem to possess enough motivation to shift those extra pounds it seems according to findings published this week by Cancer Research UK. At Medical Specialists Pharmacy we have already looked into many serious health issues that are directly linked to obesity such as lumbar disc degeneration of the back, and how having a poor diet is linked to high blood pressure and erectile dysfunction.

Cancer Research UK say there is an increasing number of kidney and womb cancer cases being diagnosed, and that more and more of these can be linked to obesity. Smoking is still the main culprit for causing cancer, but being overweight or obese comes in second in terms of cancer risks that you can actually do something about to avoid.  In fact recent data compiled by Cancer Research UK, showed that more than four in 10 cancers could be prevented by people making positive changes to their lifestyle.

Amongst those who answered questions for Cancer Research UK’s latest study, 68% of the overweight women claimed that they lacked the required willpower to lose weight. This was 8% more than the men who admitted the same thing. Overall, 87% of those surveyed did say they wanted to lose weight, but then problems such as ‘having too many other things to worry about’ and ‘ trying it before and not being successful’ were listed as reasons that eventually prevented them for losing weight.

In the midst of a recession, it can be understandable that a lack of money could be one of the main things people are ‘worrying’ about these days. But surely your short and long-term health is just as important? Overweight and obese individuals may regret the decision to decide to give up the admittedly tasking chore of losing those love handles, but bear in mind just some of the many health risks that are associated with obesity:

. High blood pressure (hypertension).
. Type 2 diabetes.
. High cholesterol.
. Joint and back pains.
. Severe tiredness or the inability to exert energy into physical activity.
. Poor circulation, ultimately leading to erectile dysfunction, as explained in great detail here.
. Psychological problems such as low self-esteem, confidence and feeling isolated.

Dr Harpal Kumar is chief executive for Cancer Research UK and he gave his views on the obesity crisis, “Unless we tackle the obesity epidemic in the UK, we risk cancer cases soaring. We understand that it can be extremely hard for people to maintain a healthy weight but keeping those extra pounds at bay could ultimately save your life.”

Dr Susan Jebb, head of diet and population health at the Medical Research Council, added to Dr Kumar’s comments and said, “It’s encouraging that most people recognise a poor diet and lack of physical activity significantly increase their risk of developing cancer. But it’s also clear that most people find it hard to turn their good intentions – to eat better and move more – into sustained changes in their lifestyle.  This gap between knowledge and behaviour helps to explain why the number of people who are obese is continuing to increase. Research shows that to make sustained changes in diet and physical activity people need tangible support from family, friends or health professionals. In the longer term, it’s important that the places we live and work make the healthier choice the easier choice, so healthy living becomes a way of life, not a matter of personal willpower.”