British Men in the Dark Over Prostate Cancer Death
Piers Morgan and Dermot O’Leary among celebrities calling on men to be more aware
British men are severely underestimating the impact of deadly prostate cancer despite it being the cancer they are most likely to get.
Research by Everyman found that two thirds of men surveyed underestimated the number of prostate cancer deaths, with 17 per cent believing the figure was ten times lower than the actual figure. One in four thought the number was four times lower than it is, while a further 23 per cent underestimated the death rate by half.
Only 15 per cent were aware that prostate cancer, the number two cancer killer of British men, is the cause of over 10,000 deaths every year in the UK – this equates to one man every hour.
The findings coincide with the launch of Everyman’s bold new strategy to slash prostate cancer deaths by a fifth in the next decade. The target is announced to mark the start of Male Cancer Awareness Month on 1 June.
Prostate cancer scientists at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), which established Everyman in 1997, believe studies currently in the pipeline could dramatically reduce prostate cancer deaths over the coming years.
Scientists hope to decrease mortality rates by developing new treatments, refining existing treatments and improving diagnostic and screening options to ensure every man who needs treatment can access it while their cancer is in an early stage.
Professor Colin Cooper, Head of the ICR’s Everyman Centre, Europe’s only dedicated male cancer research centre, said:
“We started the Everyman campaign 13 years ago to address the lack of funding and research into prostate and testicular cancers. Since then prostate cancer deaths have fallen by 10 per cent due, in part, to significant progress in understanding and treating the disease. We believe we are now on the brink of some significant breakthroughs.”
The charity is calling on people to Turn Blue for male cancer in June in a bid to help raise the £2 million needed to fund the Everyman centre in Surrey each year. City councils including London, Sheffield, Portsmouth and Cardiff are turning local landmarks blue in support of the campaign.
Everyman ambassadors including Piers Morgan, Dermot O’Leary and testicular cancer survivors Charley Boorman and Jimmy White are also urging men to raise money to fight the silent killer which affects 35,000 men every year in the UK.
Piers Morgan said: “I take my fair share of flack for being outspoken but when it comes to matters of health I don’t think you can ever shout loud enough. Too many men still bury their heads in the sand and refuse to speak up when it comes to their health and wellbeing. The Everyman campaign is essential in giving men a voice but it needs your support to continue raising awareness and funds for research into prostate and testicular cancers. Turn Blue this June and help save lives”.
Everyman Patron Dermot O’Leary added: “Many men remain ignorant about the signs and symptoms of the cancers that are most likely to affect them but it’s so important to be aware of these. The Everyman campaign aims to get across this message to help reduce the incidence of male cancers which overall affect 37,000 men in the UK each year.”
Funds for this research are vital as, despite there being similar numbers of deaths per year for prostate and breast cancer*, funding for prostate cancer still lags far behind funding for other common cancers. The most recent data published by the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) shows that prostate cancer research accounted for only 7.9 per cent of the overall spend in the UK, while breast cancer accounted for 18.7 per cent**.
Individuals and companies are being asked to download a fundraising pack from everyman-campaign.org for ideas on how to Turn Blue during June.
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Notes to Editor
Survey conducted by One Poll with a sample size of 3,000.
*Latest UK Cancer Incidence and Mortality Summary – numbers April 2010.
http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerstats/
12,000 breast cancer deaths and 10,200 prostate cancer deaths in 2008. The overall five year survival rate is 82 per cent for breast cancer patients and 77 per cent for prostate cancer patients.
**Analysis of the national cancer research portfolio 2002 – 2006.
http://www.ncri.org.uk/includes/Publications/reports/analysisReport08.pdf
