Cancer Reform Strategy - NHS Cancer Screening Programmes

CHAPTER 6: REDUCING CANCER INEQUALITIES 91Figure 12: Comparison of incidence and mortality of melanoma in men and womenin EnglandMortality(2001-03)MenWomenIncidence(2001-03)0 1000 2000 3000 4000Disability and cancer6.39 For people with disabilities, cancer canpose particular challenges. For example,although people with learning disabilities have asimilar overall risk of cancer to the rest of thepopulation, they nonetheless have a higher riskof some cancers such as cancer of the gallbladder and thyroid gland and leukaemia, but alower risk of prostate, lung and urinary tractcancers. 416.40 There is also evidence that uptake ofscreening is low amongst people with learningdisabilities. Figures for breast screening in 1998showed 43% average uptake for those womenwith learning disabilities compared to 76% forwomen overall. For cervical screening the figureswere three per cent and 85% respectively. 42There are also distressing stories of people withlearning disabilities getting poor access toservices when they do have symptoms of cancer.