MP JOINS FIGHT TO DOUBLE LUNG CANCER SURVIVAL

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 1st Nov 2006

Chris Huhne, MP for Eastleigh, has joined forces with UK lung cancer experts to double lung cancer survival.

Together with colleagues from across the political spectrum, Chris Huhne MP is working with the United Kingdom Lung Cancer Coalition (UKLCC) to urge Government to improve the lives of lung cancer victims.

The UK has one of the worst lung cancer survival rates in Europe and only just under four percent (3.9%) of the current NHS cancer research budget is dedicated to lung cancer, despite being the UK's biggest cancer killer.

"More women die from lung cancer than breast cancer and one in eight cases of lung cancer are among people who have never smoked," says Chris Huhne MP. "This Lung Cancer Awareness Month we want to help put the disease in the political spotlight."

Currently, you are four times more likely to survive lung cancer in some parts of the country than others.

According to the UKLCC, thousands of lives can be saved over the next ten years by doubling current survival rates. Currently, just a quarter of people with lung cancer in England (25%) will live for a year and less than one in ten (7% in England) will still be alive five years after diagnosis.6,7

"We know if we apply the best standards of care already being demonstrated in some parts of the country, and if we diagnose people early, we can double one year and five year lung cancer survival rates by 2016," says Dr Mick Peake, chair of the UKLCC and national clinical lead for lung cancer. "Thousands of lives could be saved as a result."

The UK Lung Cancer Coalition (UKLCC) is a powerful new coalition of the UK's leading lung cancer experts, senior NHS and Department of Health professionals, charities and healthcare companies. It is the UK's largest multi-interest group in lung cancer. This is the first time that all the major charities with an interest in lung cancer have come together. www.uklcc.org.uk