A Parliamentary report has found that Stockport has the fifth highest cancer survival rate in the country, and the highest of anywhere north of London.

The report shows Stockport is now the fifth best area in England out of 211 districts, and the highest in Greater Manchester.  Almost 2,000 people are diagnosed in Stockport every year, with more than 7 out of every 10 people surviving for at least one year.

Stockport has steadily increased its ranking each year over the past decade, even though cancer survival rates have been improving nationwide.  There are around 10,000 people in Stockport with cancer and that is expected to almost double to 19,000 by 2030.

Local NHS organisations including Stockport NHS Foundation Trust and Stockport Clinical Commissioning Group have been praised for their success in this area, with work including the early detection of cancer and highly advanced surgery.  Stepping Hill Hospital recently introduced the only surgical robot of its kind in Greater Manchester for carrying out prostate, kidney and bladder patients, and bowel cancer survival rates following surgery are twice the average in Greater Manchester.

Ann Barnes, Chief Executive of Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Stepping Hill Hospital and community health services, said “This is excellent news for local residents in Stockport and is thanks to better treatments, earlier diagnosis and greater awareness amongst people. We are proud to have played an important part in this, and we will keep working hard for all cancer patients so that even more survive going forward.”

Colin Jackson from Reddish was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2007. Following several weeks of chemotherapy he had a successful operation at Stepping Hill Hospital which removed his tumour.  Almost eight years on, he is still free of cancer and chairman of the Stockport Upper Gastro-Intestinal Cancer Support which offers help and guidance to others with the condition.  Colin said, “Ever since I was first diagnosed, the care and support I received at Stepping Hill was absolutely brilliant, I couldn’t knock it all the way down the line.”

The All Parliamentary Group on Cancer report, titled ‘One Year Cancer Survival Rates: Measuring Progress’, is launched on 1^st July 2015.

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