Long overdue National Cancer Plan should help focus minds on progress
A National Cancer Plan has been long overdue and the Government deserves credit for bringing it forward. Too often the strategy on cancer has felt fragmented but this plan should at least focus minds on how meaningful gains can be made when it comes to tackling this cruel disease.
The fact that almost a third of new cancer cases in the UK in 2022 were preventable, caused by smoking, excess weight and exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun and sunbeds, highlights the prize that is on offer with a well thought out strategy.
Experts from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and its International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) looked at 30 risk factors that cause the disease.
Using data from across 185 countries they estimate that about 7.1 million of the 18.7 million new cancer cases diagnosed globally in 2022 were preventable.
The National Cancer Plan is right to also focus on children and young people. It is difficult seeing adults suffer with cancer but even more devastating when children are left facing a fight for their lives.
The plan includes an initiative to help children and young people up to the age of 24 and their families with travel costs to and from appointments.
It is worth paying tribute to the work done by doctors, researchers and charities when it comes to finding treatments for cancer. Yorkshire is lucky to be home to charities such as Yorkshire Cancer Research, as well as expertise in cancer research emanating from the various teaching hospitals and universities. The work that is carried out may not always capture the headlines but it is vital in making progress in the fight against cancer.