English lung cancer survival rates 'poor'

Survival rates among lung cancer patients in England are significantly worse than those seen in Sweden or Norway, new research shows.

According to a study conducted by King's College London's Division of Cancer Studies, a comparison of the three countries revealed that Swedes suffering from the disease are almost twice as likely as people in England to still be alive five years after a diagnosis.

That is despite the fact that the amount spent on healthcare and medical infrastructure is similar in both countries.

The findings, published in the journal Thorax, revealed that 11.3 per cent of Swedish men and 16 per cent of Swedish women are typically still alive after five years.

In comparison, just 6.5 per cent of English men and 8.4 per cent of English women survive for a similar length of time, with most of the discrepancy occurring in the first year after diagnosis.

Professor Lars Holmberg, who led the study, suggested the difference "may be because symptom awareness is poor in England and patients delay seeking medical help, so that by the time they do, their disease is already advanced and beyond curative treatment".

Taking out a health insurance policy could improve a person's access to speedy, accurate check-ups and diagnosis.

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