Chances of surviving cancer up dramatically

Being diagnosed with cancer is no longer the "death sentence" it once was - with a new international study revealing more than half of those diagnosed now will survive.

The landmark research said half of those who are diagnosed with cancer in Britain today will be "cured" and while there are no local figures, the study is being welcomed by the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Cancer Society.

Spokeswoman Sarah Fitzpatrick said the study was a surprise in the sense that there were no similar local figures, but she said the Cancer Society knew the rates of treating people and recovery were better than they were years ago.

"It's still scary and there's definitely fear around it but when we do talk about it there is so much support you can get," she said. "It's not necessarily the death sentence [it was]."

Ministry of Health figures showed that in the two years to 2010, 1483 people in the Lakes District Health Board area were diagnosed with cancer. During that period, 656 people died of cancer.

Ms Fitzpatrick said earlier diagnosis and early treatment were part of the reasons for better mortality rates.

Cancer wasn't the taboo subject that it once was, she said, and people were talking about it a lot more.

"Hopefully people are more aware."

She said there were lifestyle changes people could make to help reduce their cancer risk. It included not smoking or giving up smoking, being sunsmart, staying at a healthy weight, being active and drinking alcohol in moderation.

"Pay attention to your body and if you do notice something out of the ordinary go and see a health professional."

Ms Fitzpatrick said it was much better to have any concerns checked out.

"The earlier you catch it the more likely it is to be treatable."

The British study carried out by Cancer Research UK is being hailed as a tipping point and experts said that dramatic improvements in diagnosis and treatment meant cancer could soon be classed as a chronic condition instead of a "death sentence".

The study of seven million British cancer patients concluded that 50 per cent of those diagnosed could expect to survive for at least 10 years - by which point their prognosis was as good as for those without the disease. Forty years ago, less than a quarter of patients survived a decade, the data from Cancer Research UK shows.

The study, based on data from adults in England and Wales diagnosed between 1971 and 2011, showed long-term increases in one, five and 10-year survival. The length of time half of cancer patients could expect to live had risen from one year in 1971-72 to five years in 2005-06, and 10 years for those diagnosed in 2010-11.