There’s positive news for breast cancer sufferers - new research released today shows that the mortality rate for the disease is lower in the UK than anywhere else in Europe. More women are beating breast cancer thanks to the NHS’s diagnosis, treatment and breast screening programmes.

Researchers at the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, France looked at cancer rates from all women from 1989 to 2006 and found that UK morality rates had fallen by about 30%. In comparison, death rates in France, Finland and Sweden had dropped by 11%, 12% and 16%.

Anna Gavin, one of the author’s of the final report, told The Guardian, ‘We were very pleasantly surprised by the outcome. Despite the fact that the number of cases are going up, and the population is getting older, deaths have still fallen.’

‘Someone with breast cancer is now likey to be seen by an expert, they also have a lot of input from international studies, so patients are getting the best and most up-to-date treatment and their care is monitored very carefully. We expect the next Eurocare study [European Cancer Registry Based Study] will show a much better survival rate,’ she added.

For information and advice on how to examine your breasts, please refer the NHS’s breast aware programme.

Picture kindly from here