Responding to a new study from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), 'Tackling the Impact of Cancer on Health, the Economy and Society', published today, Claire Rowney, chief executive at Breast Cancer Now, said:
“Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death in women under 50 in the UK.[1] These are women who play an integral and valued role in society, and the outlook is set to get worse – tragically, by 2038-40, around 70,000 women will be diagnosed each year in the UK.[2]
“Far too many people are currently missing out on vital breast screening that saves lives from breast cancer and facing agonising waits for care they should be able to rely on.
“We’re committed to our vision that by 2050 anyone diagnosed with breast cancer will live and live well. But we cannot achieve this alone. We’re calling on the government to take urgent action and ensure its upcoming 10-year plan for health includes ambitious, long-term solutions to tackle the issues being faced by breast cancer patients, backed by a fully funded and staffed workforce and look forward to helping them to build this plan. This is critical to reaching the point where breast cancer patients receive the care they need and indeed deserve.”
ENDS
[1] Average mortality figures for each nation using 2017-19 data. Death registrations summary tables - England and Wales 2019. Office for National Statistics. Cancer Mortality in Scotland 2019. Public Health Scotland. Northern Ireland - mortality statistics 1993-2019. Northern Ireland Cancer Registry. Deaths registered in England and Wales: 2022. (2023) Office for National Statistics. Registrar General Annual Report 2022. (2023). Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Vital Events 2022 (2023). National Records of Scotland.
[2] Cancer Research UK, February 2023. Age-period-cohort modelling approach using 2020-based population projections (Office for National Statistics) and observed cancer incidence (1975-2018 for England, Scotland and Wales, 1993-2018 for Northern Ireland).