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Of the two million people living with or after cancer across the UK, more than 1.2 million were diagnosed more than five years ago 1 . Many of these long term cancer survivors are suffering needlessly and in silence, according to leading cancer charity, Macmillan Cancer Support.
A new ICM omnibus poll 2 conducted by Macmillan indicated that current services for people living with or after cancer do not meet people’s expectations. 94% of those surveyed said they would expect a full assessment of their ongoing needs, 92% said they would expect to discuss potential side effects of cancer treatment and how to manage them, and 89% said that they would expect a personalised care plan to support them once their treatment was over. None of these are standard practice for patients finishing treatment for cancer in the UK.
Mike Hobday, Head of Policy at Macmillan Cancer Support says:
' Far too many distressed cancer survivors are left to suffer alone. It’s great that people are surviving cancer, but we cannot desert them after their initial treatment is over. That’s why we’re urging the Government to see this issue as a priority and take action now.'
Blood clots, nerve damage, lymphoedema, hot flushes, impotence, depression and anxiety are just some of the physical and emotional long term problems that affect cancer survivors. However, people who have finished treatment for cancer are often overlooked by health and social care services that frequently miss the long term physical and emotional effects of the disease and its treatment.
Unfortunately, the situation is set to get worse. With the number of people diagnosed with cancer in the UK rising by 3.2 per cent every year 3 so too will the number of people living with the consequences. The increase is due to more people being diagnosed with cancer, but is also due to the fact that more people are now surviving cancer thanks to earlier diagnosis and better treatment.
Macmillan is calling on the Government to introduce standard measures across the UK to ensure that cancer survivors get the support they need, including:
Macmillan Cancer Support continues to help cancer survivors and their family and friends in every way, so if you are in need of medical, practical, emotional or financial information and support, call Macmillan on 0800 500 800 or visit www.macmillan.org.uk| .
You can find out more about cancer survivorship at www.macmillan.org.uk/survivorship|
ENDS
*CASE STUDIES ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST*
For further information, please contact:
Hannah Crabtree, Macmillan Cancer Support Tel: 020 7840 7821 Email: hcrabtree@macmillan.org.uk|
1. About the research:
1 King’s College London, Macmillan Cancer Support, National Cancer Intelligence Network Cancer Prevalence in the UK 2008. According to our research, by the end of 2008 there were two million people living with or beyond cancer in the UK, almost double the previous estimate of 1.2 million. This evidence is based on the most up to date cancer registry data available. Reference: British Journal of Cancer (2009) 101, 541–547. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6605148 www.bjcancer.com|
2 1001 people participated in the ICM Omnibus poll was conducted between 16-19 December 2009
3 Prevalence figures are currently increasing at a rate of 3.2% per year based on the UK prevalence data.
2. About long-term effects of cancer: Long-term effects of cancer and its treatment can include fatigue, weight gain and obesity, nerve damage, swelling around the arms, lymphoedema, blood clots, hot flushes, night sweats, impotence, urinary and bowel problems.
3. About Macmillan Cancer Support
Macmillan Cancer Support improves the lives of people affected by cancer, providing practical, medical, emotional and financial support. Working alongside people affected by cancer, Macmillan works to improve cancer care.
For more information about Macmillan Cancer Support, visit www.macmillan.org.uk or freephone 0800 500 800 for an information pack.