Cancer survival rate 'a massive increase'
Author: Simon Macsis
Category: Insurance
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Cancer is still one of the biggest causes of death in the world, with one in four people dying from the disease, but increased funding and research into the subject is providing answers on an almost daily basis.
The number of people contracting the condition is not decreasing, however, though survival rates continue to rise globally.
As 99.5 per cent of cancer cases occur in people over the age of 15, there is still a need for medical health insurance, however.
Dr Diana Greenfield, test centre lead from Weston Park Hospital, Sheffield, says those who had cancer 40 years ago would have been expected to die, though now sufferers have a "pretty good chance".
She says that over the last three decades cancer survival rates have increased "massively", particularly in the adult demographic, though there is still room for improvement.
"Nationally, for all cancers, regardless of how old you are, survival rates are about 50 per cent," the expert comments, which could boost the need for health cover.
Recently, two pioneering projects to gain more insight into the problems faced by cancer survivors were announced by healthcare researchers at the University of Sheffield in conjunction with the North Trent Cancer Network.
According to the scientists, detailed studies will be carried out on to gain more knowledge about the problems faced by former sufferers aged 16 years and above.
The establishments have identified that there are two million people suffering from the condition in the UK, many of whom may not be receiving the support they need after successfully battling the disease.
Dr Greenfield says they were chosen by the NHS Improvement - National Cancer Survivorship Initiative to be a test site for new ideas of how to support people living with, and beyond cancer.
"Eighteen test sites have been selected nationally for adults, ten test sites for children and young people in the country and I am the test centre lead for one of those," she explains.
According to the Office for National Statistics, between 1971 and 2006 the age-standardised incidence of cancer increased by around 22 per cent in males and 44 per cent in females, potentially boosting the need for medical insurance.
"Now that the cancer doctors are working so efficiently and so effectively with their teams, survival is on the agenda," Dr Greenfield concludes.
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Keywords: personal accident insurance, health cover
View Count: 151
Date Submitted: 7/3/2009
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