UK cancer provision lags behind European neighbours:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
The UK has some of the lowest survival rates for common cancers, according to a European study. The Eurocare II report found that the UK lagged behind France, Germany, Italy and Spain when comparing five-year survival rates from 1978 to 1989 for lung, breast, colorectal and prostate cancer. UK survival rates were consistently below the European average and more in line with countries such as Poland and Estonia. Karol Sikora, head of the World Health Organisation's cancer programme, has called on the UK government to develop a national cancer centre to help achieve higher standards in care.