Trends in cancer survival in Spearhead Primary Care Trusts in England, 1998-2004.

The Spearhead Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) are designated as those areas that face the greatest health challenges in England. They are intended to be the focus of interventions designed to reduce health inequalities, including those for cancer. One- and five-year relative survival estimates for cancer patients diagnosed between 1998 and 2004, and resident in a Spearhead PCT area, have been compared with those in the rest of England to assess the baseline trends in inequalities in cancer survival. Survival is consistently lower for patients resident in Spearhead PCT areas than for those resident in the rest of England, although trends in the difference between Spearhead PCTs and the rest of England suggest that the gap in survival has narrowed for most cancers.

Cancer incidence and mortality: trends in the United Kingdom and constituent countries, 1993 to 2004.

This article examines trends in cancer in the UK and constituent countries over the period 1993-2004 for all cancers combined and the four most common cancers: breast, prostate, lung and colorectal. The results show that the UK male incidence rate increased for prostate cancer, and decreased for lung cancer. The UK female incidence rate increased for breast cancer, and decreased for colorectal cancer. The UK mortality rates fell for the three most common cancers in males, and for breast and colorectal in females. These results provide insight into current trends in incidence and mortality to enable services to be directed appropriately.

Chronic liver disease--an increasing problem: a study of hospital admission and mortality rates in England, 1979-2005, with particular reference to alcoholic liver disease.

AIMS: To determine time trends in hospital admissions for chronic liver disease in England between 1989/1990 and 2002/2003, mortality rates in England and Wales between 1979 and 2005, and the influence of alcohol-related disease on these trends. METHODS: Hospital episode statistics for admissions in England were obtained from the Information Center for Health and Social Care and mortality data for England and Wales from the Office for National Statistics. RESULTS: Hospital admission rates for chronic liver disease increased by 71% in males and 43% in females over the study period. This increase was largely due to alcoholic liver disease, admission rates for which more than doubled between 1989/1990 and 2002/2003. While there was a smaller rise for chronic viral hepatitis B and C, admission rates declined for hepatitis A, autoimmune hepatitis, and primary biliary cirrhosis. Mortality rates for chronic liver disease more than doubled between 1979 and 2005. Two thirds of these deaths were attributable to alcohol-related liver disease in 2005. The highest rate of alcoholic liver disease mortality was in the 45-64 age group, and the largest percentage increase between 1979 and 2005 occurred in the 25-34 age group. CONCLUSIONS: Hospital admissions and mortality in England from chronic liver disease are increasing. The underlying reasons are complex, but alcohol-induced liver disease makes a major contribution. There are clear social and health implications if the trend continues and addressing alcohol-related liver disease should be a public health priority.