According to new research, the UK is lagging behind other countries in Europe in terms of breast cancer survival rates. With the decreasing rates, in comparison to international standards, it seems that the UK is lacking the facilities and treatment centres to keep the rate of survival cases in keeping with those in Europe. The research shows that fewer women survived this form of cancer than in Australia, Norway, Spain and Canada. Currently, the survival rate in the UK for three-year survival is between 87 to 89 percent, compared to between 91 to 94 percent in the other four countries.
The UK isn’t the only destination with disappointing figures though, according to the data. Denmark also has similar results – however, unlike Britain, this is associated to the majority of women being diagnosed too late. Researchers claim that the reasoning behind the survival rates are very different for both countries. In the UK, while women are being diagnosed at the same stages as in other countries, the survival is lower at the same stages of the disease in women. The reasons behind this need to be investigated in order to find out how medical experts can boost the rates to help more women fight the disease.
The results of the research were interesting – it was discovered that older women fighting breast cancer in more advanced stages were likely to be treated less aggressively in the UK than in other locations. Researchers noted that the results have offered key information in how the survival gap for breast cancer can be closed. Early diagnosis remains to be one of the key ways to help fight the disease, so if you think you may have symptoms of the disease, it is vital that you seek advice from your GP who can determine whether or not further tests need to be carried out.