The complex challenges inherent to detecting, preventing, and treating cancer are placing a heavy burden on many communities. This is starkly evident across the North West, where residents face a 25% higher chance of being diagnosed with cancer compared with the rest of the country.
This disparity is consistently highlighted in our annual regional reports, with our latest research revealing that the North West over-indexes on 15 out of 19 key cancers when compared to the average in England. Sadly, these statistics have been a common theme throughout several years of reports, showing that this is an entrenched issue requiring urgent attention.
To tackle this problem, it is essential that we build up an accurate picture of the regional cancer landscape. However, this is easier said than done, especially as the North West encapsulates a broad range of locations, each with its own characteristics, priorities, and issues.
The Lancashire and South Cumbria region is a particularly unique place – from sprawling hills and picture-perfect rural landscapes to towns and cities rooted in industrialisation and a rich local culture, it’s an area like no other. The area’s diverse nature is illustrated by the fact that the seaside resort town of Blackpool is home to some of the country’s most deprived communities while the quaint and affluent towns of the Ribble Valley lie just a stone’s throw away.
In addition, despite sharing health services across the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board, the region features stark health-related contrasts and challenges across its communities. This is very evident when it comes to cancer, as the region has some of the most varying and troubling rates in the North West.
Cumbria’s overall cancer incidence rate was recorded as 23% above the national average, which is higher than any other North West region. The area’s demographics may explain this, as Cumbria has one of the oldest population profiles in the North West with 40% of residents aged over 55 and 11% aged over 75. This compares to the national totals, which are 33% and 9% respectively.
Lancashire is also a county facing some major cancer inequalities, including the North West’s highest cervical cancer incidence rate at 32% above the national benchmark. Lifestyle-related cancers are also significantly affecting the county, with incidence rates of oesophageal cancer, liver cancer, and trachea, bronchus and lung cancer respectively 33%, 28% and 20% higher than the average for England.
With such stark contrasts in cancer incidence rates, demographics, income and lifestyles, it is essential that we understand the nuances of the challenges present in this area if we are to tackle the problems head-on.
To bring this issue to the forefront, we brought together a panel of the region’s healthcare experts and academics with charity, community and political leaders for a roundtable at Lancaster University. The group looked at a wide variety of issues, ranging from localising decisions tailored to people’s needs, to rethinking how we promote the importance of cancer prevention and a long list of topics in between. The ultimate goal was to help focus the region’s cancer discourse and pinpoint key issues that should be prioritised while asking how we can reframe our collective approach to cancer in order to improve outcomes and achieve a cancer-free future for all.
