However, the growing population means that the number of people dying from cancer is expected to increase from 157,000 deaths in 2010 to 193,000 deaths in 2030 – according to Cancer Research UK.
Palliative care
In the UK, the majority of patients accessing palliative care services have a primary diagnosis of cancer and the care they receive is generally excellent. However, there is much that can still be done to help support people with cancer at the end of life to ensure their end of life care wishes are met, and unnecessary hospital admissions are reduced.
Hospices and palliative care services can also play a key part in supporting people through all stages of the disease, not just at end of life. In an article due to be published in Nature next month, Cleary et al present a growing body of evidence supporting the integration of palliative care into routine cancer care, and argue that palliative care reduces morbidity and mortality in cancer.
Cancer myths
This year, the theme of World Cancer Day, ‘Cancer: did you know?’, is aimed at debunking common myths and misconceptions about the disease. The Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) focuses on four common myths, and provides the ‘truth’ on these issues:
- Myth 1: Cancer is just a health issue
Truth: Cancer is not just a health issue. It has wide-reaching social, economic, development, and human rights implications. - Myth 2: Cancer is a disease of the wealthy, elderly and developed countries
Truth: Cancer is a global epidemic. It affects all ages and socio-economic groups, with developing countries bearing a disproportionate burden. - Myth 3: Cancer is a death sentence
Truth: Many cancers that were once considered a death sentence can now be cured and for many more people, their cancer can be treated effectively. - Myth 4: Cancer is my fate
Truth: With the right strategies, a third of the most common cancers can be prevented.
For a global perspective, read the article published in the International edition.
You can follow events on twitter – http://twitter.com/UICC #WorldCancerDay – or Facebook – www.facebook.com/worldcancerday
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