Affluent Brits More Likely to Survive Cancer Than Poor Counterparts

Affluent Britons are more likely to survive cancer while those who are living in poorer areas are unnecessarily dying due to the disease, according to a new study conducted by researchers from King's College London.

Researchers led by Margareet Luchtenborg said that more than 2,600 deaths due to cancer can be avoided every year with "over 690 deaths due to bowel cancer, 490 deaths due to breast cancer and 660 deaths due to lung and prostate cancer occurring unnecessarily every year."

Cancer Research UK's Sarah Woolnough said that the major reasons for the unnecessary deaths was due to the fact that people living in poorer areas do not visit their doctors until it is too late and lack of awareness means that they are unable to recognize symptoms that may help them diagnose the disease early.

"We know that we need to encourage the adoption of healthy lifestyles and to diagnose all cancers as early as possible - by improving symptom awareness and encouraging prompt visits to the doctor, and by supporting GPs to appropriately refer patients", she said.

Source: Medindia