Cancer survival rates still improving

And the one-year survival rate for patients diagnosed with breast, colorectal and lung cancers has improved in all but one year over the same period.

Commenting on the figures from NHS England, Dr Ben Milton, Chair of NHS North Derbyshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said: “There are a number of factors explaining this ongoing improvement.

“We’ve supported numerous campaigns raising awareness of symptoms and encouraging patients to see their GP as soon as possible.

“We’ve worked hard to promote the benefits of preventative measures such as regular exercise and a balanced diet. And we’ve seen the introduction of a range of more effective treatments in primary and secondary care.”

The figures for 2011, the latest available, showed that 68.6 per cent of newly-diagnosed cancer patients were living at least 12 months – a one per cent improvement on the previous year.

The report said that survival rates had been lower historically in North Derbyshire than in the rest of the East Midlands, largely because of poor survival rates among patients aged 75 to 99. However, survival rates had moved much closer to the regional average in recent years.

Dr Louise Merriman, cancer lead for the CCG, added: “These are encouraging figures but we must try to continue this improvement in the future.

“We’ll continue to work hard with our GPs, hospitals and public health partners in Derbyshire County Council to build on these achievements.”