BEIJING, Oct. 11 -- The survival rates of women diagnosed with breast cancer in Britain have risen so rapidly in the last decade that many breast cancer patients can now look forward to a normal life span, latest figures show.
; In the early 1990s less than half of newly-diagnosed women (44 percent) could expect to live 20 years, specialists said. The improvement, to 64 percent today, is one of the greatest for any of the major cancers.
Earlier diagnosis and improved treatment with innovative drugs and increased specialisation by medical staff have contributed to the steady rise in survival rates, experts said.
"Overall long-term survival for women with breast cancer has improved dramatically over the last 10 years and we are seeing even better survival statistics for women in their 50s and 60s," said Prof Michel Coleman of Cancer Research UK.
However, the incidence of breast cancer is increasing, with 41,000 diagnosed cases a year. The causes of the increase are disputed, with some scientists claiming increased exposure to environmental chemicals may be to blame, according to a separate report by the Economic and Social Research Council published on Monday. Enditem
(Agencies)
|
