It is a frightening fact that one in three people will develop cancer in their lifetime. Every person diagnosed with cancer has a different story – but by talking about cancer we can start to understand it and fight it.
Below are some facts and figures about the prevalence of cancer in our region and the reasons why our research is so vital:
- As a resident of Merseyside and Cheshire, you are 35% more likely to die from cancer than the national average – our region has the worst cancer mortality rates in the country
- One in three will develop cancer in their lifetime, in fact every year 285,000 new people in England are diagnosed with cancer
- Every 2 minutes, someone is diagnosed with cancer
- Our research aims to understand cancer, both causes, incidents and treatments – it is this vital research which has supported the fact that in the North West, death rates in cancer have fallen by 12% in recent years
- As a result of research, survival rates are improving in the North West. Five year survival for people with breast cancer has improved from 65% to 76% over ten years. Survival for patients with colorectal cancer has improved from 36% to 45%
- Risk behaviour is also an important factor in understanding the cancer prevalence in Merseyside and Cheshire. Data shows that around 23% of the North West population smoke and that levels are far higher among the most deprived population groups
Cancer is a disease of our genes. The more we invest in cancer research the closer we can get to understanding how we can prevent and treat it. With your support, we can offer improved treatments for patients today as well as in the future.
Find out more about the research your donations fund, or make a donation today to support cancer research in your region.
*For references of the above statistics, please see our media pack