UK Study: Breast Cancer Mortality Rate Down 66%

Improve the News Foundation -

Facts

  • According to a study funded by Cancer Research UK that examined around 500K women diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK between 1993 and 2015, women with early-stage breast cancer are 66% less likely to die from the disease compared to 20 years ago.1
  • University of Oxford scientists found 14% of breast cancer patients between 1993 and 1999 died within five years, with the figure falling to 5% for those diagnosed between 2010 and 2015, according to new data published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) on Tuesday.2
  • The study primarily examined cases where the cancer hadn't spread past the breast and analyzed the patients five years following their diagnoses, determining that some women had death rates as low as 0.2% based on the size and other characteristics of the cancer.3
  • The authors say they expect most women "diagnosed with early invasive breast cancer" to be "long-term cancer survivors," attributing the improvement in survival rates to scientific breakthroughs, new treatments, and improved screenings.4
  • Oxford estimates that the current death rate from early-stage breast cancer for 63% of women is likely to be less than 3%.5
  • While there are other factors that greatly increase the risk of death, researchers believe the study can provide an accurate guide on how to treat different kinds of breast cancer.5

Sources: 1Sky News, 2Daily Mail, 3Guardian, 4Independent, and 5University of Oxford.

Narratives

  • Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Cancer Research UK. Women across the UK and the world should be very pleased with the new findings on breast cancer survival and how the medical community is making great strides to ensure the long-term well-being of patients. The evidence is undeniable and an absolute step in the right direction toward helping women survive this deadly disease. The UK has been very committed to detecting breast cancer early and developing the best treatments possible, and it is clearly paying off.
  • Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Guardian. While there may be improvements in the detection and treatment of breast cancer, there are still many barriers that prevent thousands of women from receiving the necessary care. Unfortunately, socioeconomic status creates a massive gap in patients’ ability to get timely care, and some are forced to wait months before receiving treatment — which can mean the difference between life and death. Improvements should be celebrated, but the UK isn't even close to a victory over breast cancer.

Predictions