Breast cancer deaths at record low

Thurs April 23rd, 2009

The number of women dying from breast cancer in Britain has fallen to a record low, it was announced yesterday.

New figures show that fewer than 12,000 women died from the disease in 2007, the first time since records began nearly 40 years ago.

In 1971 some 12,472 women died and by 1989 this had risen to 15,652.

The disease is the most common cancer in Britain and some 45,000 women are diagnosed every year.

Cancer Research UK, which published the figures, said breast screening and powerful new drugs had all played a part.

Dr Lesley Walker, of Cancer Research UK, said: "Although we are delighted that fewer women are dying from breast cancer, we will not become complacent.

"Every one of those 11,990 women who died in 2007 was someone's mother, sister, daughter, friend or colleague and Cancer Research UK – as the UK’s largest funder of breast cancer research – is absolutely committed to finding new ways to help more women survive the disease."

Professor Peter Johnson, the organisation's chief clinician, said: "We hope these new figures will encourage women over the age of 47 to attend screening and to know that even if a tumour is found, their chances of beating it are better than ever."

Tags: UK News | Women’s Health & Gynaecology | Cancer

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