Be Clear on Cancer Campaign targets oesophagogastric cancer in April 2012

The Government has highlighted the need to improve cancer survival rates as outlined in the Improving Outcomes – a Strategy for Cancer, published in January of this year, aiming to

save 5,000 lives per year by 2014/15, to bring us in line with the European average in terms of cancer survival rates.

It is generally agreed that the main reason for poorer survival rates in England is that more cancers are diagnosed at a later stage, when curative treatment is no longer possible. Therefore, the focus is on earlier detection of the disease.

Following on from the success of the pilot of ‘Be Clear on Cancer’ campaigns launched in January 2011focusing on the three big killers: breast cancer, bowel cancer and lung cancer,

the bowel cancer campaign will be the first of the tumour sites to be rolled

out nationally this year.

Oesophagogastric cancer will be one of the next cancer sites to be targeted.

There will be seven PCT-led projects that will trial local public awareness campaigns focusing on oesophagogastric cancer in April.

Campaigns will be promoted under the Department of Health Be Clear on Cancer brand with the aim of raising public awareness of the signs and symptoms of oesophagogastric cancer

and encouraging people who have the relevant symptoms to see their GP.

The objectives are:

• Increase public awareness of the symptoms of oesophagogastric cancers and encourage people with these symptoms to present earlier to their GP

• Improve the number of oesophagogastric cancers diagnosed and at an earlier stage.

The oesophagogastric campaigns will also help to:

• Raise GPs awareness so they are more aware of the relevant symptoms and referral pathways

• Recruit community cancer champions to take campaign messages direct to the target audience

• Learn if the Be Clear on Cancer brand can be used for less common cancers such as oesophagogastric cancer

The seven funded OG projects are taking place at:

• Dudley

• County Durham and Darlington

• Sandwell and Wolverhampton

• Wandsworth

• Newcastle, North Tyneside,

Northumberland, North Cumbria,

South Tyneside, Gateshead,

Sunderland, Hartlepool,

Middlesbrough, Redcar, Cleveland

and Stockton-on-Tees

• Anglia Cancer Network -

Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire,

Peterborough, Suffolk, Norfolk,

Great Yarmouth and Waveney

• Mount Vernon Cancer Network -

Hertfordshire, Luton and South

Bedfordshire

If the projects are being carried out in your area, it is an ideal chance to get involved and take part in promoting awareness of OG cancers in April 2012.