The North West Cancer Research Fund has been funding research for over 50 years. During that period significant progress has been made in the fight against this terrible disease.   Breast Cancer deaths are down   Leukaemia deaths are down   The 5-year survival rate for men with cancer has increased by 63%   The 5-year survival rate for women with cancer has increased by 34%   Scientists now know why some patient's cancers resist treatment more than others   Antioestrogen therapy is now saving the lives of breast cancer patients   Scientists have mapped out the human genome which it is hoped will herald enormous   possibilities for new treatments   Funds for cancer research have never been more vital for further advances in the fight   against cancer Cancer is the principal cause of premature death in adults in this country. There are several cancer black spots within the area served by the North West Cancer Research Fund in the North West. We recently commissioned a piece of market research by NOP to learn what people believe about this major killer. This is what they said.   What proportion of people in Great Britain do you think will suffer from cancer in a lifetime?   86% said 1 in 4 or less   1 in 3 of us will suffer from cancer at some time   Is AIDS more common, about the same, or less common than cancer?   25% thought that AIDS was more common or about the same   There are 3,000 new AIDS cases¹ a year and 220,000 new cancer registrations². This means we are 73 times more likely to be struck by cancer than AIDS   Is multiple scelerosis more common, about the same, or less common than cancer ?   24% thought that multiple scelerosis was more common or about the same as cancer   There are 2,500 new cases of multiple scelerosis a year³ and 220,000 new cancer registrations². This means we are 88 times more likely to be struck by cancer than multiple scelerosis   What are the major causes of cancer?   73% named smoking as a cause   Smoking is the major known cause of several cancers yet 27% still did not know this   What are the major causes of cancer?   4% named sun bathing as a cause   More than 40,000 people are found to have skin cancer every year in the UK, making it the second most common form of cancer. Between 1980 and 1990 the number of incidences doubled   Is cancer one disease that can affect different parts of the body or a series of different but related diseases ?   73% thought it is one disease that can affect different parts of the body   Cancer is a series of different but related diseases Notes: 1 Source: National AIDS Manual 2 Source: Office of National Statistics Report 3 Source: The Multiple Scelerosis Society of Great Britain & Northern Ireland Conclusion: Even though cancer is common, kills so many of us and touches almost everybody in one way or another, we still have a lot to learn. For advice, information or leaflets about cancer please contact: www.cancerbacup.org.uk or phone 02076132121 www.cancerstoreuk.com or phone 0151 709 6161