The UKs cancer shame: Shocking report reveals we spend less on treating the disease than countries Estonia, Greece and Lithuania

June 24, 2016

UK spends proportionally less on cancer than most European countries
Only Norway, Iceland, Finland, Denmark and Portugal spent less of health budget on the disease
Also has poorer five-year cancer survival rates than 17 other countries

Kate Pickles For Mailonline

and
Pat Hagan

Published:
05:26 EST, 24 June 2016

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Updated:
07:01 EST, 24 June 2016

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Damning figures have revealed the UK spends less on cancer care than nations including Bulgaria, Latvia and Romania, a report has revealed.

The probe by the Swedish Institute for Health Economics found the UK lagging behind other countries when it comes to cancer spending as a proportion of its overall healthcare budget.

It also has poorer five-year survival rates than patients in 17 other European countries including Malta and Iceland.

Cancer patients have a lower five-year survival rates than many countries in Europe including Denmark, the Czech Republic and Finland, a report found

More people than ever across Europe are now surviving cancer – thanks to improvements in diagnosis and treatment.

But the UK also has a slower uptake rate of new cancer medicines compared to the five largest European economies – Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands.

An average of 54 per cent of cancer victims across Europe are still alive five years after falling ill.

However, in the UK, this figure drops to 50 per cent.

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And while the average EU cancer spend totals six per cent of total healthcare expenditure, in the UK it is just five per cent.

In fact, only Norway, Iceland, Finland, Denmark and Portugal spent less proportionally, the report found.

Cancer cases across the continent continue to rise with 2.7 million cases in 2012, up by about around a third compared to 1995.

The most prevalent types include prostate for men and breast cancer for women as well as lung, bowel and melanoma.

The report noted that while spending on cancer medicines has more than doubled over the last ten years, this cost has largely been offset by savings.

The table shows the total healthcare expenditure of countries as a percentage of the gross domestic product (left), cost in millions(Euros), expenditure per person (left, middle). It then shows how much of this is spent on cancer, for example the UK spends 5% of its healthcare budget on it, compared to the 6% average for Europe

More care and treatment has been moved away from hospital to out-patient and into community based settings, it noted.

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, which carried out an analysis of the data, said while progress is being made in terms of survival, the UK is lagging behind.

Spokesman Dr Paul Catchpole said: ‘The UK spends less on healthcare overall, less on cancer care and generally has lower access to new cancer medicines.

‘We need to reflect on this given the stated ambition of Government and the NHS to further improve UK cancer outcomes.

‘Healthcare professionals need access to as many treatment options as possible.

‘This is a challenge that will require flexible and responsive solutions.’

The chart shows the five-year survival rates for all countries with the UK coming in just under 50 per cent compared to Sweden (SE) which tops the chart and Bulgaria (BG) with the lowest

Lung cancer has been overtaken as the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer in both genders with prostate cancer for men and breast cancer for women taking over