HC Deb 12 June 2003 vol 406 c983W
Sir Nicholas Winterton

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes have been recorded over the past 20 years in the(a) survival and (b) mortality rates in men diagnosed with (i) prostate, (ii) lung, (iii) bowel and (iv) testicular cancer; and what geographical trends have been identified in the incidence of cancer in men. [118562]

John Healey

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

Letter from J. Pullinger to Mr Nicholas Winterton, dated 12 June 2003: The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question concerning what changes have been recorded over the last 20 years in the (a) survival and (b) mortality rates in men diagnosed with (i) prostate, (ii) lung, (iii) bowel and (iv) testicular cancer; and what geographical trends have been identified in the incidence of cancer in men. I am replying in his absence. (118562) Long term trends in cancer incidence, mortality, prevalence and survival for prostate, lung, bowel and testicular cancer, and all other major cancers, for England and Wales have been published in Cancer Trends in England and Wales 1950–19991. This is available on the National Statistics website at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_health/cancertrends_5099.pdf This publication includes the latest available cancer survival analyses for England and Wales. Survival rates for major cancers by sex and age-group are presented, with trends for cases diagnosed in the early 1970s up to those diagnosed in the early 1990s. The Office for National Statistics is currently collaborating with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine to update the cancer survival statistics in this volume with figures for the 20 commonest cancers in England and Wales. This will cover adult patients diagnosed during 1991–99 and followed up to the end of 2001. The results will be published later this year. The publication Cancer Trends in England and Wales 1950–19991 contains analyses of mortality from all major cancers over the period 1950–1999. Variations in cancer incidence by geographical area within the UK are also described in this publication. Data on cancer incidence by geographical area for 1998 and 1999, and mortality for 2000 and 2001 are available on the National Statistics website. 1 Quinn M. Babb P, Brock A, et al. Cancer Trends in England and Wales 1950–1999. Series SMPS No. 66. London: Office for National Statistics, 2001.