Latest report show lung cancer, female breast cancer, prostate and bowel cancer are all on the increase in Wales
The number of new cases of cancer in men and women in Wales has increased by 12% in the nine years to 2013 however, survival rates are slowly improving according to the Cancer in Wales report, published today, 4 February which is also World Cancer Day
The report, prepared by the Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit (WCISU) at Public Health Wales shows 19026 new cases diagnosed in 2013, which represent the a 12% increase on 2004 figures.
The most common cancers in Wales in 2013 were lung cancer, female breast cancer, prostate and bowel cancer. These cancers also had the largest increases in numbers over 10 years.
Almost all the increase in lung cancer numbers occurred in women, with cases increasing by over a third between 2003 and 2012.
Two thirds of the increase in bowel cancer cases was in men. Cases of melanoma in men also increased by around two thirds, while in women, melanoma cases increased by nearly 50%.Liver cancer in men increased by more than 100% over 10 years and in women increased by as much as 70%.
The changes in cancer incidence are partly due to an ageing population and changes to the size of other population age groups.
Historic and recent trends in risk factors in different age groups such as smoking and alcohol, in both men and especially women, also play a major part.
Survival from all-cancers combined has slowly improved and for the first time over 70% of people diagnosed with cancer are surviving at least one year.
Survival from lung, pancreas and liver cancer, however, remains very poor.
Most people with lung cancer die within the first year after diagnosis and only 28% of people diagnosed during 2007 to 2011 survived at least a year.
Lung cancer has the strongest link to deprivation of all the commonest cancers, mainly due to the link with smoking and past industries.
Most recently, the incidence rate was more than two-and-a-half times higher in the most deprived 20% of areas in Wales compared to the least deprived 20% of areas.
Dr Dyfed Wyn Huws, Director, Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit, Public Health Wales, explains:
“Cancer incidence and survival in Wales is a complex, evolving picture.
More people are living longer and then getting cancer with many common risk factors involved. And while overall, cancer survival is slowly improving, survival from certain cancers, such as lung cancer, remains very poor.
There are concerns regarding the increasing number of women being diagnosed with lung cancer and the continuing link between lung cancer incidence and deprivation.
Smoking causes over 80% of lung cancers and is also responsible for nearly a fifth of all cancers in the UK. Other known risk factors such as alcohol, being overweight, diet, physical inactivity, certain infection, sunlight and radiation together account for a large number of cases in the population.
We have the potential to address most of these risk factors through effective population and individual measures.”
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