Record numbers in the UK beating breast cancer

New Cancer Research UK analysis has shown that more than 130,000 UK breast cancer deaths have been avoided in the last 30 years.

Breast cancer deaths in the UK hit a record high in 1989, when around 15,600 women lost their lives to the disease. However, as a result of research developing new tests and better treatments, the death rate for women has since fallen by 44 per cent.

Research has also helped highlight the importance of diagnosing cancer early, when treatment is more likely to be successful. Cancer Research UK says that 98 per cent of women whose breast cancer is caught at the earliest stage survive their disease for at least five years, but for those diagnosed at the most advanced stage this drops to around a quarter.

Michelle Mitchell, Cancer Research UK’s chief executive, said: “These numbers show that research is working, and we should celebrate the considerable progress that’s been made – but while lives are still being lost, our work is not done yet. Our ongoing research into the biology of breast cancer is vital. With this increased understanding, we’re developing new life-saving treatments; making them kinder, more effective, and more personalised to individual people. Diagnosing cancer early can save lives. If you get to know what’s normal for your body, you’re more likely to notice if something changes and can raise any concerns with your doctor.”

A separate study has revealed that offering every woman diagnosed with breast cancer genetic screening would save hundreds of lives each year.

Researchers, who have published their finding in JAMA Oncology, say that screening everyone would enable women to make informed treatment choices and allow family members to take preventative action.

Currently, only those with risk factors such as a close family history of breast cancer are offered the check. Additionally, women in the UK diagnosed with ovarian cancer are offered testing to see if they carry a genetic mutation that would increase their risk of breast cancer. But the same does not happen for breast cancer patients.

The analysis suggests one year's testing could save 2,102 cases of breast and ovarian cancer and 633 lives in the UK.