Cancer survival rates rise but women are given warning

MORE needs to be done to address rising rates of cervical cancer, ministers said today.

They called for women to be more alert to the signs of the disease in the early stages.

It came as the latest cancer survival figures from the Office of National Statistics show an upward trend nationally for survival for all cancers except of the bladder and cervix.

Care services minister Paul Burstow said: "It is encouraging that, overall, cancer survival rates are improving, but survival rates for cervical cancer have decreased in some areas. Earlier diagnosis is crucial and women should be alert to the signs. These may include bleeding after sex, between periods or after the menopause and pelvic or lower back pain."

The largest annual improvement in survival for one year was for men diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus (1.7% per year) and over five years was for those with prostate cancer (2.7% per year).