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Cancer 'is nation's biggest fear' | |
(40 minutes later) | |
By Michelle Roberts Health reporter, BBC News | By Michelle Roberts Health reporter, BBC News |
Cancer is the nation's biggest fear but more than a third wrongly think getting the disease is down to fate and there is nothing they can do to avoid it, say experts. | Cancer is the nation's biggest fear but more than a third wrongly think getting the disease is down to fate and there is nothing they can do to avoid it, say experts. |
The poll of more than 2,000 UK adults shows cancer is feared ahead of debt, knife crime and unemployment. | The poll of more than 2,000 UK adults shows cancer is feared ahead of debt, knife crime and unemployment. |
Cancer Research UK, who led the survey, said it was important for people to realise cancer is not inevitable. | Cancer Research UK, who led the survey, said it was important for people to realise cancer is not inevitable. |
Half of all cancers could be prevented by healthy lifestyle changes. | Half of all cancers could be prevented by healthy lifestyle changes. |
Getting cancer is not purely down to genes, fate or bad luck. Indeed, only a small number of cancers are hereditary. | Getting cancer is not purely down to genes, fate or bad luck. Indeed, only a small number of cancers are hereditary. |
Whereas whether you smoke, drink and are overweight, as well what you eat and how much exercise you get can greatly influence your risk. | Whereas whether you smoke, drink and are overweight, as well what you eat and how much exercise you get can greatly influence your risk. |
And even if a person does develop a tumour, if spotted early many cases can be treated to give a better chance of long-term survival, says the charity. | And even if a person does develop a tumour, if spotted early many cases can be treated to give a better chance of long-term survival, says the charity. |
Thanks to screening and better treatment, the average 10-year survival rate for cancer has doubled over the past 30 years. | Thanks to screening and better treatment, the average 10-year survival rate for cancer has doubled over the past 30 years. |
Half the people diagnosed with cancer today will still be alive in five years' time. And more than 40% will still be alive in 10 years' time. | Half the people diagnosed with cancer today will still be alive in five years' time. And more than 40% will still be alive in 10 years' time. |
The Department of Health is launching an England-wide campaign in January to raise awareness of the early signs and symptoms of the three most common cancers - breast, lung and bowel - to encourage people to seek medical advice as soon as possible. | The Department of Health is launching an England-wide campaign in January to raise awareness of the early signs and symptoms of the three most common cancers - breast, lung and bowel - to encourage people to seek medical advice as soon as possible. |
Sara Hiom of Cancer Research UK said: "The fear factor is a serious wake-up call for the British public. | Sara Hiom of Cancer Research UK said: "The fear factor is a serious wake-up call for the British public. |
"It's absolutely vital for us to get the message out that people can do something to alleviate their emphatic fear of cancer. | "It's absolutely vital for us to get the message out that people can do something to alleviate their emphatic fear of cancer. |
"Cancer is no longer the death sentence people still seem to dread. | "Cancer is no longer the death sentence people still seem to dread. |
"Long-term survival has doubled since the '70s thanks to better diagnosis, improved treatments and the development of nationwide screening programmes for breast, bowel and cervical cancers. | "Long-term survival has doubled since the '70s thanks to better diagnosis, improved treatments and the development of nationwide screening programmes for breast, bowel and cervical cancers. |
"Spotting early signs and symptoms of what could be cancer - but probably isn't - and getting these checked out by a doctor means that the disease can be diagnosed more quickly." | "Spotting early signs and symptoms of what could be cancer - but probably isn't - and getting these checked out by a doctor means that the disease can be diagnosed more quickly." |
Teresa Nightingale of the World Cancer Research Fund said: "It is a concern that so many people think cancer is a matter of fate, because there is now strong scientific evidence that people can make relatively simple changes to reduce their risk." | Teresa Nightingale of the World Cancer Research Fund said: "It is a concern that so many people think cancer is a matter of fate, because there is now strong scientific evidence that people can make relatively simple changes to reduce their risk." |
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