British cancer researchers have reported a dramatic drop in the number of middle-aged people prematurely dying from different types of cancer.
According to the statistics published by the Cancer Research in the UK, a 40 percent drop has been reported in the number of cancer deaths among those aged between 50 and 59 years.
This remarkable reduction is believed to be secondary to a combination of factors including access to more effective chemotherapy and radiotherapy as well as a decline noted in the smoking rates, the researchers suggest. ‘’The reduction in people smoking has been a big help, and we are also better at diagnosing cancers early and better at treating them whether by surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy,’’ said Cancer Research UK’s chief clinician Professor Peter Johnson. While smoking remains the largest cause of cancer, the study indicates that tobacco is responsible for only one fifth of cancer cases each year. Obesity and diets low in fresh fruit and vegetables are suggested as some other factors contributing to about 35,000 cases of cancer each year.
