North Wales MS joins campaign to boost cancer research
North Wales Member of the Senedd Mark Isherwood is supporting a campaign to increase research funding for cancers with the lowest survival rates.
The Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce (LSCT) is calling for more investment into research for cancers of the brain, liver, lung, oesophagus, pancreas and stomach, which it says receive disproportionately low government funding despite causing almost 40% of all common cancer deaths in the UK.
Figures obtained by the LSCT through Freedom of Information requests show that these cancers receive less than one-fifth, or 18.92%, of all government-funded cancer research.
This means that research into less survivable cancers receives around £130 less per cancer death than the average across all cancers. Some, such as oesophageal cancer, receive as little as £40 per death compared to an average of £310 across other types.
The Taskforce says this lack of funding contributes to poor outcomes for patients. It found that more than half of people diagnosed in Wales with one of these six cancers die within a year.
Mr Isherwood, who attended the LSCT’s event for Members of the Senedd earlier this week during Less Survivable Cancers Awareness Week, said:
“Thousands of people are diagnosed with one of the less survivable cancers in Wales every year and it’s extremely sad to know their long term chances are so dire. We all need to recognise the scale of this challenge and back research into these cancers.”
Greg Pycroft, Policy and Public Affairs Manager at Tenovus Cancer Care and Chair of the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce Wales subgroup, said:
“The figures released this week are disappointing but not surprising. We know that the less survivable cancers, which account for a significant proportion of cancer deaths, receive insufficient research funding, which is partly why patient outcomes are so poor. All cancer patients deserve a fighting chance, and increased research is crucial for improving diagnosis and treatments.”
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