Henry Smith MP has joined with colleagues on the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Cancer, to reaffirm that earlier diagnosis is key to improving cancer survival statistics.
 
By 2020, almost half of the UK population will receive a cancer diagnosis during their lifetime. Cancer survival rates in the UK are among the worst in Europe; not least because many people are diagnosed too late when their cancer is advanced. Henry Smith MP and the APPG on Cancer believe that this must change.
 
Over the past year, the percentage of people in England surviving at least one year from their initial cancer diagnosis has risen from 69.3% to 70.2%. However, this is still well behind comparable international rates – in Sweden, for example, one-year cancer survival is around 82%. The figure for the local NHS in Crawley is 65.4%.
 
Henry said;
 
“The earlier cancer is diagnosed, the better the chance of surviving at least one year and surviving cancer generally. The publication of these local one-year survival rates should therefore encourage the local NHS, with the support of the wider cancer community, to promote earlier diagnosis.
 
“In the Crawley area, more than 65% of people live for a year or more after a cancer diagnosis. Yet in Sweden, the figure is 82%. More work is needed through earlier diagnosis to increase this number, as the UK has among the lowest survival rates in Europe.
 
“As the MP for Crawley I’m writing to the Crawley CCG leadership to discuss how we can ensure more local people survive cancer.”

Note to Editors

All Party Parliamentary Group on Cancer
This Group, of which Henry Smith MP is a member, was founded in 1998.

All Party Parliamentary Group on Blood Cancer
This Group was founded on 14th June 2016, and Henry Smith MP was elected as its Chair. Both Groups work to ensure that patients are central to policy-making in this area.

All-Party Parliamentary Groups
These are cross-party groups which can comprise of MPs and members of the House of Lords, though many choose to involve individuals and organisations from outside Parliament in their administration and activities.