Cancer prevalence in Merseyside significantly above national average, new report shows

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A new report from North West Cancer Research says several cancer types are far more common in Merseyside and across the wider region than the national average, raising concerns about unequal health outcomes.

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00:00It's a worrying picture for Merseyside and the wider North West, where new figures suggest

00:05many more people are living with cancer compared with the national average. The findings come

00:11from the fifth regional report published by Northwest Cancer Research, which looks specifically

00:17at cancer prevalence, the number of people currently living with the disease. According

00:21to the charity, the overall cancer prevalence rate in Merseyside is 4% higher than the rest

00:27of the country. The report highlights lung cancer as the most striking difference, with

00:31rates recorded as 51% above the national benchmark. Liver cancer is 33% more prevalent in Merseyside

00:39than the national average, whilst head and neck cancers are reported as 31% higher.

00:45Across the North West as a whole, 16 of the 20 major cancers examined in the report were

00:51found to be more common than the national average. Lung and esophageal cancers show the widest

00:56gaps, both recorded at 19% higher. Cervical, head and neck, bladder and skin cancers are

01:02also noted as more prevalent in the region, with increased rates of 18, 17, 13 and 11%

01:09respectively. The report states that 5,630 people per 100,000 in the North West are currently

01:18living with cancer. Northwest Cancer Research says that deprivation age and other socioeconomic

01:23pressures appear to be key contributors to the regional disparities.

01:28Alistair Richards, the charity's chief executive, says understanding the multi-faceted complexities

01:33of the North West Cancer landscape is essential to improving outcomes and that continued research

01:39is vital to identify where support is needed most.

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