World Cancer Day

Woman with cancer holding hands with friend
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Since 2020, 4th February has been designated as World Cancer Day. This was established by the Union for International Cancer Control, with the aim of raising awareness about cancer, and taking steps to prevent and effectively treat cancer worldwide.

Why is World Cancer Day is important?

The statistics for cancer are frightening. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) published figures last year based upon best available data. They estimated that in 2022, there were an estimated 20 million new cancer diagnoses worldwide, and 9.7 million cancer related deaths. This is expected to increase to a monumental 35 million new cases worldwide by 2050 on the current trajectory. In men, the top three cancers are lung cancer, followed by prostate cancer and bowel cancer. In women, the most frequent diagnosis is breast cancer, followed by lung cancer and bowel cancer.

In the UK, figures from Macmillan Cancer Care and Cancer UK show that there were 393,000 new cancer diagnoses in 2021, which is estimated to increase to 5.3 million by 2040. The most frequently diagnosed, starting at the highest incidence, are breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer and bowel cancer. Just over 45% of cancers were stage 3 or 4 at the time of diagnosis (where staging was undertaken) In many cancers, though certainly not all, this can mean that the cancer has already spread, even though that may not be readily visible on scanning at that time.  Although increasing age is a major risk factor for cancer, there are around 1,900 cases of cancer diagnosed in children annually, and many younger adults can also be affected by cancers traditionally considered to be more prevalent in older age groups.

Understanding symptoms and treatment options

With statistics like these, all of us will know someone who has, or has had cancer. The likelihood of a cure depends on the precise type of cancer and the course of treatment that the patient chooses to undergo. However, what is very clear is that awareness of possible symptoms, screening and early diagnosis of cancer is key to achieving the best possible outcome.

Over the course of my career, I have helped dozens of patients and their families who have not been diagnosed with cancer as quickly as they should have been. This can result in them needing to undergo more aggressive treatment, and in some cases, tragically means that their cancer cannot be cured and may even ultimately lead to their premature death. The reason for the delay in diagnosis can be multi-fold, but sadly I see the following all too often.

  • Failing to recognise potential signs of malignancy and arrange an appropriate and urgent referral
  • Failing to properly interpret x-rays, scans or biopsy samples
  • Attributing symptoms to a benign cause without arranging further investigations to exclude malignancy as part of the differential diagnosis
  • Accepting a previous benign diagnosis without undertaking a fresh assessment of ongoing symptoms

The prognosis for many cancers is improving all the time thanks to the development of new treatments and the ability to diagnose the cancer at an early stage when a patient is appropriately referred. However, the traditional treatments for most cancers of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, can be brutal. Whilst undoubtedly saving countless lives or providing patients with more time to spend with their loved ones, both chemotherapy and radiotherapy can have very unpleasant side effects.

Even though a person might still be able to have curative treatment after a delayed diagnosis, the treatment that they have to undergo may need to be much more extensive, prolonged or intensive, with increased side effects that can impact on their quality of life. Sometimes it may be that even with earlier diagnosis, curative treatment would not have been possible, but the delay in diagnosis has meant that their life expectancy and quality of life has been significantly reduced.

Advances in cancer treatment

Scientists are constantly looking to find ways to prevent cancer and to develop alternative effective treatments that provide a better quality of life.

A relatively recent success story has been that of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine to massively reduce the incidence of cervical cancer. The vaccine has been available since 2008 and is now offered to all school children from the age of 12-13. The UK vaccination programme has been extremely successful, and statistics show that the incidence of cases of cervical cancer has reduced by around 90% in young women age 18-25. HPV is also associated with the formation of various other cancers, such as throat cancer, and it is hoped that the incidence of these cancers will also reduce in time.

Through supporting my clients, I am also aware of the increasing availability of immunotherapy to treat certain cancers, although in many instances this is dependent upon being eligible to take part in a research trial and given alongside traditional treatments. I have acted for clients suffering from prostate cancer, malignant melanoma and leukaemia, who were all considered for treatment with immunotherapy. This is an area of great interest to the scientific community looking to make a breakthrough in the way cancer is treated.

Cancer immunology – research conducted by the University of Southampton

As an Alumni of the University of Southampton, I was privileged to be invited to a lecture on Cancer Immunology in recognition of World Cancer Day on 27 January 2025. The lecture was given by the Centre of Cancer Immunology, which is a research centre that is part of the University, based at Southampton General Hospital. The experts that spoke to us included Mark Cragg, immunologist, Gareth Griffiths, mathematician and statistician who devises the clinical trials to ensure that they will produce meaningful and reliable results, Esme Fowkes, a recent PHD student, and Jessica (name changed to protect identity), a cancer patient survivor who had participated in one of the research studies.

The discussion explained how cancer has been shown to interact with our own immune system and prevent it from destroying the cancer cells. Vaccines are being developed to reinvigorate the body’s own immune response. The results depend on multiple factors such as genetics, dosage, interaction with other medications and proteins etc. I will not pretend to understand all of the science, but it was both fascinating and inspiring.

Interestingly, the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to produce an effective vaccine within a short period of time, has had a very beneficial effect, by proving that it can be done.  Pharmaceutical companies from around the world are investing in developing vaccines to treat a wide range of cancers, although predictably, the most common cancers are those with the greatest level of interest and investment currently. The Centre of Cancer Immunology has set up a Cancer Vaccine launch pad, working with multiple national and international hospitals, whose patients are invited to provide their details to see if they are eligible to join any of the available trials. The larger the number of participants in a trial, the more reliable the results, and the quicker it is to gain the required licenses. Most vaccines are still a long way off from being available on the NHS as a standard treatment, with an estimate given of around 10 years from trial to general availability, assuming of course that the results are sufficiently persuasive.

Perhaps most moving was the presentation given by Jessica, a survivor of throat cancer, who was generous enough to share her story of her cancer treatment. Whilst at pains to praise the treatment she had received from her treating oncology team and acknowledging that this has likely saved her life, Jessica described some quite horrific side effects from her chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment. After a protracted treatment period, she was approached by her consultant about taking part in one of the immunology trials being run through the Centre for Cancer Immunology. Jessica was open to any treatment available that may benefit her, but more than that, really wanted to play a part in preventing others from having to go through what she had, so readily agreed to join the trial. Jessica described the treatment involved, which whilst it produced mildly unpleasant symptoms akin to flu, was nothing compared to the treatment she had already undergone.

The hope of course is that in time, vaccines and treatments will become available which will enable the body’s own immune system to destroy any cancer cells, including those that may be microscopic at the time of diagnosis. If this can be achieved, then the need for treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and all the side effects and risks that they can bring, may well become a thing of the past.

How we can help

Even though medical professionals endeavour to provide the best possible care to their patients, mistakes can and do happen. Unfortunately, when a cancer diagnosis is delayed or missed for a long period of time, it can have a major impact on the treatment options available to patients and their longer term prognosis.

If you or a loved one have been affected by a delayed or missed cancer diagnosis, we can help you understand what may have happened and support you to make a claim to access the needed funds to help put your life back together. That often involves funding to access private treatment, but also ensuring financial security for your loved ones. This enables you to focus all your energy into getting better and spending time with family and friends, without worrying about money and the impact your illness may have on them.

To have a free, confidential discussion with a member of our team call us on 0800 044 8488 or fill in our contact form so we can call you at a time convenient to you.

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