Cancer is the biggest health problem among the population and its late detection is the greatest concern, according to a survey.
Two-thirds of people say they are very or somewhat worried when told they have the disease, a higher rate than for any other medical condition, including dementia and heart attacks.
The survey of 2,000 UK adults found that late detection (too late to treat) was the biggest concern about diagnosis, followed by the impact on family and those around them.
More than half of respondents said they would choose “being able to detect and treat cancer early enough so that no one dies from the disease” as the transformative development they would like to see in the future.
This surpassed the eradication of diseases such as malaria, the widespread use of self-driving cars and genetically modified crops that would allow us to end famine.
Professor Richard Gilbertson, director of the Cambridge Cancer Research Centre in the UK, said cancer is the biggest health concern among the public and late detection is the biggest worry, according to a new survey.
The survey found that the main concerns were that treatments might not work or that the side effects would be terrible, as well as the impact on the person’s family. Photo: Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre
The research was carried out by Public First on behalf of the University of Cambridgewho are working to build a new hospital with specialized cancer facilities.
“Cancer affects one in two people and understandably causes fear in patients and their families,” said Professor Richard Gilbertson, director of the Cambridge Cancer Research Centre in the UK.
‘People are worried that treatments won’t work or that the side effects will be terrible, but also about what their diagnosis will mean for their family.’
When asked what would make them less afraid of being diagnosed, 61 percent of people said “knowing how treatable they are.”
“Outcomes can be completely transformed – improved survival and less invasive treatments – if cancer is diagnosed early enough,” said Professor Rebecca Fitzgerald, director of the Li Ka Shing Early Cancer Institute at the University of Cambridge.
The survey, conducted among 2,000 UK adults, found that late detection (too late to treat) was the biggest concern related to diagnosis, followed by the impact on family and those around us. Pictured: T cells attack a cancer cell in the body (file photo)
‘That’s why we’re now focusing on understanding cancer at its earliest stage, years before an individual develops any symptoms.
‘In this way, it might even be possible to prevent the disease from occurring, or at least detect it when it can be easily treated.’