NEWS RELEASE
Embargoed Until: 00.00hrs 6th May 2011
Bladder Cancer - Ignorance Compromises Care
7th May 2011: Bladder Cancer Awareness Day – Despite being the 4th most common
cancer in men and the 11th most common in women1, over half the people surveyed across
Great Britain have no idea what the risk factors for developing bladder cancer are2.
Only 5% think smoking and 1% think using chemicals at work cause it, whereas these are the
two main risk factors for bladder cancer. The most common symptom of, or warning sign for,
bladder cancer is blood in the urine, but only half of those surveyed mentioned this 2.
In the United States, May 7th is Bladder Cancer Awareness Day. The survey findings from
Action on Bladder Cancer (ABC) mark this date with a long term commitment to increase UK
understanding of the causes of bladder cancer, allowing people to seek help and treatment
earlier for improved outcomes in care. With over 10,000 people being diagnosed every year in
the UK, ABC is calling for greater public support to move bladder cancer higher up the public
health agenda to receive greater attention alongside prostate, breast and lung cancer.
“The profile of bladder cancer and, as a result, the care of patients can be significantly
improved by asking the public and healthcare professionals and providers to become involved
in our dedicated advocacy group, ABC - we want to work together to make a difference”,
commented Mr Colin Bunce, Chair of ABC and Consultant Urologist, Middlesex.
People living in Scotland, Yorkshire and East of England are more likely to understand the
symptoms of bladder cancer. Those in Yorkshire and East Midlands are most likely to know of
someone who has, or has had, bladder cancer. Those people living in Wales tended to fare
worst in terms of knowledge and understanding of symptoms2.
Mr Bunce continues: “We don’t expect everyone to be an expert, but such a huge lack of
understanding can lead to people being mis-diagnosed and/or diagnosed at a later stage in the
disease which can narrow down the best treatment choices. Over the last 15-20 years bladder
cancer has been in the shadows. Greater public attention is urgently needed to improve
understanding about the disease so that people know when and where to go for help. We also
need to help people take steps to reduce their risk of getting the cancer in the first place, such
as giving up smoking. In short, greater funding and support needs to become a priority.”
Action on Bladder Cancer (ABC) is the only UK charity purely focused on improving the lives of
people with bladder cancer. Today, with the introduction of new resources
(www.actiononbladdercancer.org) it encourages volunteers and healthcare professionals to
become involved in running local or regional initiatives to improve understanding and dialogue
around the disease.
Executive Committee: Mr Colin Bunce (Chair), Mr Leyshon Griffiths, (Secretary), Mr Roger Kockelbergh (Treasurer),
Dr Alison Birtle, Mr Jeremy Crew, Mr Derek Fawcett, Mr David Gillatt, Mr Hugh Mostafid, Prof John Kelly,
Mr Tony Kirkbank, Mr Raj Persad.
- ends References:
1.
Cancer Research UK, Cancer Stats Key Facts, Bladder Cancer
http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerstats/types/bladder/incidence/
2.
GfK NOP Survey on bladder cancer for Action on Bladder Cancer, May 2010
For further information or to arrange interviews, please contact:
Janis Troup/Debra Lord/Updeep Sohal
ABC Secretariat (Right Angle Communications)
Tel: 020 3142 6491/020 3142 6490/020 3142 6495
Survey Technical Details: GfK NOP interviewed 2,055 adults 16+ using face to face
interviewing between 13th-15th May 2010. Data has been weighted to bring it in line with
national profiles.
The ABC survey is supported by an educational grant from Kyowa Hakko Kirin UK Ltd.
The official foundation of Action on Bladder Cancer is supported by educational grants from:
Kyowa Hakko Kirin UK Ltd;
Cambridge Laboratories, A division of Alliance Pharmaceuticals Ltd;
GE Healthcare.
Executive Committee: Mr Colin Bunce (Chair), Mr Leyshon Griffiths, (Secretary), Mr Roger Kockelbergh (Treasurer),
Dr Alison Birtle, Mr Jeremy Crew, Mr Derek Fawcett, Mr David Gillatt, Mr Hugh Mostafid, Prof John Kelly,
Mr Tony Kirkbank, Mr Raj Persad.
The Action on Bladder Cancer (ABC) Survey 2010
What can we learn?
Is bladder cancer a taboo subject?
 People seem to want to talk about cancer – only 12% of those people invited to
participate didn’t want to take part. In contrast, it has been reported that people are
almost twice as reluctant to talk about testicular cancer.
 There is however, a slightly greater reluctance for people living in South East to talk
about it (21%) compared with say, Wales (2%) or Scotland (8%) or North East of
England (4%)
How common do people think it is?
 Whereas bladder cancer is the 4th most common cancer in men and the 11th in women,
only 14% of people surveyed said they knew of someone with bladder cancer but this
figure increased with the age of the person questioned.
 People in Yorkshire and Humberside and in East Midlands were most likely to know
someone who has or has had bladder cancer. This could be due to industrialised
regions and a greater willingness to talk about the subject in these regions.
 One third of men (39%) and women (33%) thought that men are more likely to get
bladder cancer. Only one-fifth (18%) of men thought that women would be most likely
to get it and one in five (28%) women thought that women would be most likely to get
it.
Do people know the warning signs of bladder cancer?
 A quarter of respondents had no idea what might be a sign of bladder cancer and this
was highest in the younger age groups. Only half of respondents understood the most
common sign of bladder cancer which is blood in the urine.
 People living in Scotland, Yorkshire and East of England are more likely to understand
the symptoms of bladder cancer. Those in Yorkshire and East Midlands are most likely
to know of someone who has or has had bladder cancer. Those people living in Wales
tended to fare worst in terms of knowledge and understanding of symptoms.
Executive Committee: Mr Colin Bunce (Chair), Mr Leyshon Griffiths, (Secretary), Mr Roger Kockelbergh (Treasurer),
Dr Alison Birtle, Mr Jeremy Crew, Mr Derek Fawcett, Mr David Gillatt, Mr Hugh Mostafid, Prof John Kelly,
Mr Tony Kirkbank, Mr Raj Persad.
What is the most common cause of bladder cancer?
 Over half of those surveyed had no idea what the most common cause of bladder
cancer might be and 18% thought it was drinking too much alcohol.
 Only 5% stated they thought smoking is the most common cause, which is in fact the
case and only 1% said using chemicals at work which is the second most common
cause.
What was understood about treatments?
 One-third of people thought that chemotherapy was the most common treatment for
bladder cancer but one-third also had no idea. 12% thought that removal of the cancer
with surgery was an option. Both chemotherapy and removal of the cancer with surgery
are common options for bladder cancer along with other treatments such as
immunotherapy and radiotherapy. The treatment for bladder cancer depends very
much upon the type, grade and stage of the cancer. For more information please talk
to a healthcare professional or visit: www.actiononbladdercancer.org
 The survey revealed that general knowledge about treatments was poorest in the South
East.
Where to go for help
 91% of respondents said that they thought the GP surgery would be the first port of call
for information if someone suspected they may have bladder cancer.
 But 12% did say that the Internet would be an option for information.
Survey Technical Details: GfK NOP interviewed 2,055 adults 16+ using face to face
interviewing between 13th-15th May 2010. Data has been weighted to bring it in line with
national profiles.
The ABC survey is supported by an educational grant from Kyowa Hakko Kirin UK Ltd.
Executive Committee: Mr Colin Bunce (Chair), Mr Leyshon Griffiths, (Secretary), Mr Roger Kockelbergh (Treasurer),
Dr Alison Birtle, Mr Jeremy Crew, Mr Derek Fawcett, Mr David Gillatt, Mr Hugh Mostafid, Prof John Kelly,
Mr Tony Kirkbank, Mr Raj Persad.