John Leech fights to bring lung cancer out of the political shadow

11.45.25am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 9th Jul 2007

North-West Lung Cancer Champion John Leech MP has been working with healthcare professionals to raise the profile of lung cancer.

Local Liberal Democrat MP, John Leech, heard that lung cancer survival rates in Manchester could be doubled in the next ten years, when he visited the state of the art facilities at the Christie Hospital today (Friday 6 July). At present, mortality rates from lung cancer in Manchester are 65% higher than the national average.

John Leech, North-West Lung Cancer Champion and MP for Manchester, Withington, visited the Christie on behalf of the UK Lung Cancer Coalition (UKLCC). The UKLCC is a powerful partnership of leading lung cancer experts, healthcare companies and charities. Mr Leech and other Lung Cancer Champions nominated by the UKLCC are working with the UKLCC to raise awareness of the disease - still the UK's biggest killer cancer.2

Christie Hospital is at the forefront of research into cancer.

Mr Leech toured the hospital's cancer centre and met with leading cancer experts, including respiratory physicians, oncologists, specialist nurses and cancer researchers.

He commented: "We can't underestimate the scale of the challenge with lung cancer. Although we're making progress in prevention by reducing smoking rates, we're still going to see many more cases coming through."

"But the scientists, doctors, nurses and patients I've talked to today have given me great cause for hope."

Lung cancer is the most common cancer in the world, and claims the lives of 33,000 Britons every year.2 Survival rates remain stubbornly low, and less than half of all patients with the disease are alive six months after diagnosis.3

Professor Nick Thatcher, professor of oncology and a partner of the UKLCC said: "Lung cancer can be successfully treated, if we can catch it early enough.

"What we need is a three-fold attack. We need the best treatments to be available to patients wherever they are in the UK. We need investment in research, to develop new and better methods for screening for and treating lung cancer. And of course we need continued efforts to reduce smoking, which causes nine out of ten lung cancers and a host of other illnesses."

The UKLCC is setting the government an ambitious, but achievable challenge: to double one-year survival by 2010 and five-year survival by 2015 for patients diagnosed with lung cancer.

Mr Leech added: "It's important that people know that their chances of surviving lung cancer are greatly improved if it can be caught early. I'd urge my constituents to make sure they go to their GP if they are worried they may have symptoms." Parliamentarians will be helping the UKLCC increase understanding of lung cancer.

The United Kingdom Lung Cancer Coalition (UKLCC) is a powerful partnership of leading lung cancer experts, senior NHS and Department of Health professionals, charities and healthcare companies. The UKLCC is the nation's only multi-interest group in lung cancer and this is the first time all the interested parties have joined together to give people with lung cancer a true voice. All partners have agreed to rules that ensure that each partner is equal. Details of financial and in-kind support can be found at www.uklcc.org.uk/partners