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Interactive Chart Reveals How Spotting Cancer At Its Earliest Stage Can Boost Survival Rates By Up To 13-fold

Spotting cancer early can drastically improve survival rates and make treatments more effective.

For example, Cancer Research UK states one in 20 Brits diagnosed with stage four lung cancer will still be alive five years later.

But this rises from 5 to 65 per cent when spotted at the earliest phase.

Similar increases are seen for bowel and bladder cancers, two of the other cancers most common among men over 75. 

Buckingham Palace last night revealed that King Charles has been diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer during treatment for an enlarged prostate.

However, the 75-year-old does not have prostate cancer — the most common type among elderly men. 

While King Charles (pictured on Sunday, the last time the monarch was seen) has commenced a 'schedule of regular treatment', he has long given his support for alternative medicine

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said this morning that he was 'shocked and sad' to hear about the diagnosis. However, he said he was 'thankful' it had been 'caught early' and wished Charles a full recovery 

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said this morning that he was 'shocked and sad' to hear about the diagnosis.

However, he said he was 'thankful' it had been 'caught early' and wished Charles a full recovery.

Survival rates depend entirely on the type of cancer, with some known to be more aggressive than others.

Early stage cancer (stage one) means the disease has not begun to spread to other organs and treatment is more likely to be successful.

For example, CRUK analysis suggests more than nine in 10 people diagnosed with early bowel cancer will survive at least five years. 

This plunges to one in 10 people if bowel cancer is diagnosed at the most advanced stage (stage four) and has spread to other parts of the body. 

This phase of the illness is known as 'metastatic'.

With bladder cancer, around 80 per cent of people can expect to survive five years or more if diagnosed at an early stage.

This drops to around 10 per cent when caught at an advanced stage.

Each type of cancer is different, with things such as genetic changes meaning some cancers are more aggressive.

The particular subset of cancer can also have an effect.

For example, about 90 out of 100 bladder cancers in the UK are urothelial cancer — developing from cells of the bladder lining. 

Five per cent are squamous cell cancer — flat cells that line the body's organs.

No further details on Charles' condition have been shared, other than he remains 'wholly positive' and is looking forward to returning to full public duties.

Family and friends were said to be amazed by the King's determination to carry on with 'business as usual'.

Figures suggest one in two people will develop some form of cancer during their lifetime. 

While the level of progress for cancer survival for some forms of the disease has been rapid, such as for breast and prostate cancers, others, like those for lung and pancreas have only improved at a snail's pace

10-year cancer survival rates for many common cancers have now reached above the 50 per cent mark, and experts say further improvements could be made in the next decade

The NHS runs breast, bowel and cervical cancer screening, and is rolling out lung cancer checks.

Cancer screening is known to save thousands of lives each year.

As well as detecting cancers at an early stage, screening can detect changes before the disease even takes hold.

Cancer Research UK advises people to always contact their doctor if something in their body does not look or feel quite right, or if they suspect they have cancer.

People should also attend all their screening appointments when invited. 

Professor Lawrence Young, a professor of molecular oncology at the University of Warwick, said: 'A cancer diagnosis is always worrying. 

'Each year more than a third of all cancer cases in the UK are diagnosed in people aged 75 and over. 

'The good news is that with improved diagnostic tests and treatments cancer survival has doubled over the last 50 years in the UK. 

'Diagnosing cancer early provides the best chance of successful treatment and cure.'

He added: 'The King's openness about his cancer diagnosis raises the profile of this disease and emphasises the importance of early diagnosis.'

Data shows cancer survival rates have soared over the past 50 years.

Only one in four men with prostate cancer in the 1970s would live to see the next decade.

Today, the reverse is true, with 75 per cent of men diagnosed with the disease still alive a decade later, figures show.

Last year a major Oxford University study found women diagnosed with breast cancer are two-thirds more likely to survive than their counterparts 20 years ago.

Researchers discovered women diagnosed with between 1993 and 1999 had a 14 per cent chance of dying from the disease within the first five years.

But this risk has fallen to five per cent for those diagnosed between 2010 and 2015. 

Despite the positive outlook for the future of cancer care, top oncologists have warned cancer patients in the UK could face challenges getting treatment quickly enough, as the health service has consistently failed to meet key targets. 

Latest official health service data on cancer waiting times show that just six in ten (65.2 per cent) cancer patients were seen within the two-month target in November. 

NHS rules state 85 per cent of cancer patients should be seen in this timeframe.

Medics have also predicted that years of life lost to cancer are set to increase due to the disruption the Covid caused to the NHS.

Cancer care was effectively ground to a halt for some patients when the pandemic first reached the UK's shores, with appointments cancelled and diagnostic scans delayed because of the Government's devotion to protecting the NHS.

Experts have estimated 40,000 cancers went undiagnosed during the first year of pandemic alone.


Focus On: Prostate Cancer

by AMY ANDERSON, Daily Mail

Cancer of the prostate is now the most common male cancer affecting British men - the average lifetime risk of developing it is around one in 13.

Approximately 21,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year. However, despite campaigns to encourage men to seek early treatment, many still feel too embarrassed to go to their doctor.

Prostate cancer can be treated with a high degree of success if it is caught in its early stages. However by leaving it for one or two years, men are putting their health and, ultimately, their lives at risk.

WHAT IS IT?

The prostate gland is part of the male urinary and reproductive systems. The tubes of the reproductive system, through which sperm pass, meet with the urethra within the prostate gland.

Normally, cell growth is controlled so that the prostate grows to its correct size for the age of the man (it gets larger with age). However, with cancer of the prostate the growth of cells gets out of control and tumours form.

WHO GETS IT?

Prostate cancer is most common in men over the age of 50, although they can get it at a younger age: 95 per cent of cases occur in men over the age of 60.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?

Symptoms that may indicate prostate cancer include frequent trips to the toilet (especially at night), a weak stream when urinating, inability to urinate immediately even when desperate to do so, lower back pain and blood in the urine.

However, some men may not show any symptoms of prostate cancer and so the cancer can be found only through routine tests.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE IT?

The first step is to have a screening test to see whether you have an elevated level of the protein PSA (prostate specific antigen) in your blood.

Normal PSA concentration in blood is between 0.1-2.6ng/ml. PSA levels of 4 ng/ml or greater should prompt a further consultation with a urologist as they may be a indication of prostate cancer.

A PSA test can be carried out by your doctor. However, in some cases men may not have any symptoms or may be considered by the GP as being too young to be at risk, so getting a test can sometimes require a degree of insistence on behalf of the patient.

Often symptoms are mild in the first stages of prostate cancer, so some men do not feel inclined to 'bother' their GP about it or are too embarrassed to ask for a test.

Yet it is this initial stage of diagnosis that is the most crucial and can prevent cancer from spreading to other parts of the body.

But a new test which can be done at home has recently been introduced in Britain. The PSA Home Test, made by HomeChec, is similar to the test your GP would carry out but the results take just five minutes.

Four drops of blood are placed on the testing device, and if a pink line appears, the test is positive and you should see your GP immediately. If the PSA level is below the cut-off point of 4 ng/ml, no line will appear and the test is negative.

However, if you have two or more of the symptoms of prostate cancer yet your test is negative, still consult your GP to be on the safe side.

But PSA tests, both at home and ones carried out by your GP, are not a diagnosis of cancer.

An official diagnosis can be achieved only via a biopsy, which would be carried out by a urologist and usually involve a TRUS ( transrectal ultra sound) biopsy and/or a CT scan, MRI scan or a bone scan.

In addition to a PSA test, your GP may also wish to carry out a digital rectal examination (DRE).

OTHER PROSTATE PROBLEMS

Even though you may have some or all of the above symptoms, you may not actually have cancer as there are a number of other prostate disorders that could account for the symptoms.

BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia) is an abnormal enlargement of the prostate. As the prostate enlarges, it can squeeze the urethra making it difficult to urinate and can also stop the bladder from emptying fully. It is difficult to tell the difference between BPH and prostate cancer, so a PSA test should be done.

Prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate caused by infection with bacteria and can also produce similar symptoms to cancer, so a PSA test should be carried out.

TREATMENTS

If cancer is discovered there are several routes you can take.

External beam radiotherapy 40 uses high- energy X-ray beams directed at the prostate from outside the body. These beams prevent cancer cells from dividing and the tumour growing.

Its advantages are that it avoids the risks of surgery and does not involve an overnight stay in hospital. Its main disadvantages are that it may cause damage to the bladder and rectum. Diarrhoea, cystitis and nausea are common short-term side effects, there is a risk of impotence and incontinence and it requires daily hospital visits for six weeks.

Surgery is a common approach to prostate cancer in men under the age of 70 and involves the entire removal of the prostate gland.

The advantages are that the cancer may be completely eradicated: about 70 per cent of men will have no evidence of cancer ten years after the operation.

Disadvantages are that there is a 70 per cent risk of impotence as a result of surgery and a 5 per cent risk of incontinence. Patients will also need to stay in hospital for at least one week, and then take six weeks off work to recover.

Brachytherapy is a new form of radiation treatment for localised prostate cancer.

Radioactive seeds are implanted directly into the prostate gland, meaning a higher dose of radiation can be given than is possible with external beam radiotherapy.

The advantages are similar to radiotherapy, with the added plus that damage to surrounding tissues, such as the bladder, is limited.

The disadvantages are that it can cause a burning sensation while urinating which may last for some time, one or two anaesthetics are required and its long-term effectiveness has still to be evaluated.

CAN DIET HELP?

Dietary factors may help in the prevention of prostate cancer. Antioxidants, which are found naturally in many fruit and vegetables, can provide protection against free radicals. These are harmful substances that occur in the body and can cause cell damage and diseases such as cancer.

Vitamins C and E and selenium are all antioxidants. There has been evidence showing a reduction in the number of prostate cancer deaths when vitamin E (50mg) was supplemented in smokers.

Selenium supplementation (200mg) was also found to reduce prostate cancer in a small group of men, but more research is needed before routine supplementation can be recommended.

The general message regarding lifestyle and diet is to maintain a normal weight for your height, avoid fatty foods and try to decrease your overall fat intake. Also, eat red meat and processed meat in moderation.

Include at least five fruit and vegetable portions per day, including a regular intake of tomatoes, and perhaps include some soya products in your diet.

Drink alcohol in moderation (a maximum of 3 units per day) and don't smoke.

Malcolm Jarvis, a 53-year-old BT engineer from Nottingham was diagnosed with prostate cancer when he was 49.

Despite having difficulty urinating and having a weak flow, it was two years before he visited his GP. 'I was never in pain, it was more of a nuisance,' he says.

'I realise looking back that I left it far too long before seeing my GP.' A PSA test revealed higher than normal levels, so Mr Jarvis was sent to a urologist and, after further tests and a biopsy, was diagnosed as having prostate cancer.

After speaking to other patients he chose to have surgery. 'I was off work for three months, but within another three months I was playing golf again,' he says.

'I have been in remission ever since and so far, touch wood, there's no sign of it coming back. But I have got another seven years to go before I'm in the clear.'

For more information on the obtaining a PSA Home Test, which costs £14.99, call HomeChec on 0871 871 0691 or visit website www.Homchec.Co.Uk.

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King Charles' Cancer Found During Prostate Treatment: A Timeline Of His Diagnosis

Buckingham Palace officials revealed that King Charles III has been diagnosed with cancer.

Last month, the king, 75, underwent treatment for a benign prostate condition. During this recent procedure, a "separate issue of concern was noted," royal officials said in a Feb. 5, 2024, statement.

Further diagnostic tests revealed that Charles has "a form of cancer." Officials have not revealed other details about the specific type of cancer, but they have shared that it's not prostate cancer.

"His Majesty has today commenced a schedule of regular treatments, during which time he has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties," the statement reads. "Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual."

The cancer was "caught early," British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said during a BBC radio interview, per NBC News. "And now everyone will be wishing him that he gets the treatment that he needs and makes a full recovery," he added.

King Charles' prostate treatment

Back on Jan. 17, 2024, Buckingham Palace announced that Charles would be undergoing "a corrective procedure" to treat a benign enlarged prostate. The treatment was to be followed by a "short period of recuperation."

He entered London Clinic private hospital and received the procedure there on Jan. 26. He was discharged from the hospital on Jan. 29.

A benign enlarged prostate is a common condition that often comes with aging, Dr. Otis Brawley, professor of oncology and associate director of outreach and engagement at the Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, tells TODAY.Com.

Also called benign prostatic hyperplasia, the condition "exists in almost every man over the age of 50," Brawley explains, and it can put uncomfortable pressure on the bladder, blocking the flow of urine.

It typically involves an area known as the zone of transition, which is "the part that's around the urethra where the urine comes out," Dr. Justin R. Gregg, urologic oncologist and assistant professor of urology and health disparities research at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, tells TODAY.Com.

"If you think about the prostate like a donut, and we urinate through the hole in the donut," Brawley says, "just as you bake a donut and the donut gets bigger, the hole in the center gets smaller." Similarly, as the prostate enlarges, it makes it more difficult to urinate and for the bladder to completely empty.

For instance, men with enlarged prostates often describe needing to wake up to pee in the middle of the night, Brawley says.

The treatments for benign prostatic hyperplasia include medications, which typically need to be taken for months, Brawley says, or surgery. Some of these medications work by relaxing the muscles of the prostate while others can actually shrink the prostate over time, Gregg adds.

Of the surgical options available, the most common one is the transurethral resection of the prostate. This procedure "involves sticking a drill up the urethra to the level of the prostate," Brawley explains, and using the drill to essentially essentially "whittle out a larger hole for the person to urinate."

Buckingham Palace did not disclose the specific procedure that Charles received.

Does King Charles have cancer?

Yes. In a Feb. 5, 2024 statement, Buckingham Palace confirmed that Charles has cancer.

"During The King's recent hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, a separate issue of concern was noted," the statement reads. "Subsequent diagnostic tests have identified a form of cancer."

What kind of cancer does King Charles have?

Buckingham Palace did not disclose the specific type of cancer that King Charles has (beyond that he does not have prostate cancer).

"The King is grateful to his medical team for their swift intervention, which was made possible thanks to his recent hospital procedure," the official statement reads. "He remains wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible."

He began outpatient treatment for the cancer on Monday, Feb. 5, palace officials added.

What kind of cancer might be discovered by enlarged prostate treatment?

The monarch's diagnosis appears to be what experts call an incidental diagnosis, meaning the medical team was not looking for cancer but discovered it during another procedure.

"This can definitely happen," NBC medical contributor Dr. Tara Narula said on TODAY on Feb. 6. "Any time you go in for any sort of surgical procedure, you have pre-op testing. That involves labs, urinalysis and usually a chest X-ray. In that case, you might find something."

During some procedures to relieve the pressure of an enlarged prostate, doctors may analyze the tissue that's removed, Gregg explains. That can sometimes lead to an incidental diagnosis of prostate cancer. However, a palace spokesperson clarified that Charles does not have prostate cancer.

Patients typically receive routine imaging during treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia that can reveal other unrelated issues, Brawley says. A CT scan or MRI of the pelvis or abdominal region can show signs of kidney or bladder cancer, for instance.

"Now, we have CAT scans and MRIs that are so good that many times we pick up incidental things," Narula said. "And then, in certain procedures, you're using scopes."

The scope used during the prostate surgery may also reveal signs of bladder cancer. "If you go past the (prostate), you get into the bladder," Brawley says, "and that's where you might see a bladder problem, which frequently look like cauliflower growing into the bladder."

While kidney cancer doesn't usually come with noticeable symptoms in its early stages, Brawley explains, people with bladder cancer may exhibit symptoms that overlap with those of benign prostatic hyperplasia.

"Some bladder cancers can cause urine-related symptoms of urgency or frequency," Gregg agrees.

More rarely, doctors may see signs of colorectal cancer during these routine steps of treatment for an enlarged prostate, Brawley says. Or there's always a chance that other conditions, such as lymphoma, might be diagnosed via a chest X-ray for a completely unrelated issue, he adds.

None of these cancers are directly related to or caused by an enlarged prostate, Brawley explains.

While it's difficult to know exactly what condition King Charles may be dealing with right now, "when you find things early, that's the best thing when it comes to cancer because we have treatments available," Narula said, and the earlier you get diagnosed, the better chance those treatments have to be effective.

"His Majesty has chosen to share his diagnosis to prevent speculation and in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer," the Buckingham Palace statement reads.

Gregg also hopes it serves as an important reminder that anyone experiencing bladder symptoms should speak to their doctor, and to keep regular cancer screening, including screening for prostate cancer, in mind as they get older.






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