Casestudy: Cancer in the UK

Question 1

How does socio-economic state influence presence of cancer in the UK?

Answer 1

• There is a rather consistent positive association between increasing socio-economic status and cancers of the *colon, breast and skin (melanoma).
• There is an inverse association for cancers of the lung, stomach, oropharynx, oesophagus and cervix.

Question 2

What fraction of cancers occur from environmental risk factors in the UK?

Answer 2

2/3rds of all UK cancer –> against economic, social and cultural direct causes.

Question 3

Explain how lifestyle choice can influence a range of cancers in the UK

Answer 3

• Sunbathing and use of sunbeds from growing wealth and advent of affordable holidays - associated with melanoma
• Changes in diet: there is a preference for meat and dairy products, fast food and pre-packaged ready meals - associated with bowel cancer.
• Alcohol consumption has risen with higher incomes - associated with risks of oral, oesophageal and liver cancers.
• Lack of exercise causes an epidemic of obesity in UK and other ACs, increasing risk of cancer and CVD
• Smoking - the biggest cause in both men and women.

Question 4

What fraction of cancer cases in the UK does smoking account for?

Answer 4

1/5 of all cases.

Question 5

Everyday in the UK how many people are diagnosed with cancer and how many die per day?

Answer 5

• 980 people diagnosed per day
• 440 people die per day.

Question 6

Since 1990, by what percent has cancer incidence increased?

Answer 6

12%

Question 7

Why have cancer cases been projected to rise more than 40% by 2035?

Answer 7

• The UKs AC status is associated with an aging population - so, by 2035 514k new cases will be diagnosed per year.

Question 8

What has been the economic impacts of cancer in the UK?

Answer 8

• 35000 people of working age die from cancer each year and this removes productive workers from the labour force.
• Non-fatal cancer has consequences: 125000 people under the age of 65 are diagnosed each year. These people are likely to leave for recovery and treatment for months
• Many people who have recovered from cancer do not return to work due to after-effects including secondary health problems from chemotherapy
• Many, to compensate will reduce hours or change jobs due to their illness, reducing productivity.
• In 2018, 54k people died from cancer of working age - this would have contributed £585 million to the economy per year: estimated to contribute almost 7 billion across the rest of their working lives.

Question 9

What are the social effects of cancer in the UK?

Answer 9

• Caring for people
  Over 1 million people in the UK are caring for someone with cancer - so caring can also have an economic burden on productivity of friends and family
• Caring is socially impactful due to stress placed on family life and general well-being of those involved.

Question 10

What is evidence that cancer affects different socio-economic groups?

Answer 10

• Cancer rates are 3x higher in poorer areas of the UK compared to affluent areas.
• Glasgow has the highest cancer rate.
• Deprivation and cancer are associated with former industrial areas
• Cancer survival rates also are affected by socio-economic status. For all types of cancer there is a deprivation gap, the more affluent have better survival chances than deprived. EG: 14.2% more women in the ‘most affluent’ group survive bladder cancer compared to deprived counterparts. This can be explained by pre-existing health status and speed of diagnosis.

Question 11

What are the UKs governments targets to mitigate against cancer?

Answer 11

• The UKs governments target in it’s fight against cancer are to save 5000 lives a year, increase survival rates and reduce gaps in survival rates existing between the UK and other European countries.

Question 12

What are direct strategies employed to achieve the UK governments target against cancer?

Answer 12

• Investment in advanced medical technology, such as more precise radiotherapy and diagnostic methods such as endoscopy for early intervention and diagnosis.
• Establishing programmes such as mass screening for breast, cervical and colon cancers.
• Attempts to reduce waiting times between diagnosis and treatment and giving more support for GP referrals and consultants.
• Government laws: the government has intervened directly into sunbeds by legislating control over commercial use of sunbeds, with age limits, standards of supervision and staff training.

Question 13

What are indirect strategies employed to achieve the UK governments target against cancer?

Answer 13

• Emphasis on changes in lifestyle and cancer prevention
  Education and health campaigns are invested in to inform public on dangers of smoking, excessive drinking and unbalanced diets - reducing incidence of preventable cancers.
• International agencies and charities
  Working on a wider scale, The International Agency for Research on Cancer is part of the WHO. It conducts epidemiology and lab research into the causes of disease.
• Cancer UK is a charity that researchers prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer. This is funded by donations, legacies and charity events.
• The Meterological Office Advice issuing forecasts on UV intensities and safe limits of exposure.