Cancer Research UK: More must be done
Monday, 03 Mar 2008 09:40
Cancer Research UK has welcomed figures showing the number of lives saved by NHS breast and cervical cancer screening but warned that more needs to be done to ensure all women attend screening when invited.
The charity's comments follow statistics released by NHS Cancer Screening Programmes on its 20th anniversary that claim over 100,000 breast cancers and 400,000 significant cervical abnormalities have been detected in the past two decades.
Richard Davidson, Cancer Research UK's director of policy and public affairs, said: "Breast and cervical screening have helped save the lives of thousands of women in Britain over the past two decades.
"The NHS should be justly proud of this, but more work needs to be done."
He called on the government to commit to screening at least three million more people over the next five years and for the variation in screening to be reduced across the UK.
Mr Davidson also said more effort is needed to reach out to people eligible for screening who are not taking part.
