New campaign highlights Yorkshire’s cancer inequalities

A new campaign has been launched by independent charity Yorkshire Cancer Research to highlight the stark inequalities in cancer diagnosis and treatment that exist in Yorkshire.

The charity is calling for people across the region to show their support for those with cancer and help improve cancer survival by signing up to its No Matter Where campaign.

People in Yorkshire are more likely to get cancer and more likely to die from cancer than almost anywhere else in England.

As well as funding world-leading research to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer, Yorkshire Cancer Research aims to give Yorkshire a voice by ensuring the needs and priorities of the region are heard and understood at a national level.

Dr Kathryn Scott, Chief Executive at Yorkshire Cancer Research, said: “Everyone should have the best chance of surviving cancer, no matter where you live or who you are. Through the pioneering research funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research and our long history of saving lives in the region since 1925, our charity has a deep understanding of Yorkshire’s cancer problems. 

Yorkshire has the third worst cancer outcomes in England (1). In 2019, an estimated 627 cases of cancer were diagnosed per 100,000 people in Yorkshire, compared to 610 in England as a whole. During the same year, there were an estimated 270 deaths from cancer per 100,000 people in Yorkshire, compared to 255 in England (2).

Parts of Yorkshire have some of the lowest survival rates in England, including South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw, which has the second lowest five-year survival rate in the country (3).

The No Matter Where campaign highlights five key reasons why cancer is worse in Yorkshire.

1. Due to Yorkshire’s geographical size and diversity, not everyone is able to access to the highest quality cancer services and treatment. For example, due to time and travel costs people from rural areas are less likely to choose to have treatment (4); or may not have treatment at a specialist cancer centre where there can be more treatment options available.

2. A lower proportion of people in Yorkshire are diagnosed at an early stage, when there are often more treatment options available, and treatment is more likely to be successful (5). If Yorkshire matched England in terms of early diagnosis, nearly 400 more people would be diagnosed at an early stage each year.

3. Participation in screening, which helps prevent cancer and find it at an early stage, is also a key factor. Not everyone takes part in bowel, breast and cervical screening when invited, and in some parts of Yorkshire only 4 in 10 people complete their bowel screening (6).

4. Yorkshire also has the highest smoking rates in England7, and lung cancer causes around 3,000 cancer deaths in the region each year, more than any other cancer (7).

 5. Research-active hospitals are proven to deliver better care for patients than those where there is little or no clinical research (8). But in some hospitals in Yorkshire less than 3 in 10 people have cancer research opportunities discussed with them, compared to the national average of more than 4 in 10 (9).

As well as calling for everyone in Yorkshire to receive access to the highest quality treatment, the campaign is asking for Yorkshire to receive its fair share of cancer research funding.

Dr Scott continued: “Together, we are finding new and better ways to help save more lives – in your city, your town and your local community. We urge people to join our campaign and help to shape the future of cancer care in Yorkshire.”

Yorkshire Cancer Research funds 62 programmes throughout Yorkshire, giving over 250 000 people the opportunity to participate in pioneering cancer research and services. More than 756 researchers, cancer experts and cancer champions are working with Yorkshire Cancer Research to help find solutions to Yorkshire’s biggest cancer problems.

The No Matter Where campaign is supported by three people from Yorkshire who star in the charity’s latest TV advert, which is currently being aired on ITV. Rob Smith from York, Ryan Grainger from Harrogate and Sheena Hussain from Bradford have all received treatment for cancer and are supporting the charity’s drive to save as many lives as possible in the region.

References

1 Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, Mortality Profile

2 NHS CancerData, Incidence and Mortality

3 NHS CancerData, Index of Cancer Survival

4 Reconceptualising Rural Cancer Inequalities: Time for a New Research Agenda

5 NHS CancerData, Cancer Staging

6 Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, National General Practice Profiles

7 Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, Local Tobacco Control Profiles

8 Research Activity and the Association with Mortality

9 NHS England, National Cancer Patient Experience Survey