Bone Cancer Awareness Week
20 - 27 June 2009

Get involved, and help us to raise awareness of primary bone cancer during our annual awareness week, and also raise vital funds to help us promote and fund research into the causes and treatment of primary bone cancer, in particular osteosarcoma and Ewing’s sarcoma.

Survival rates in primary bone cancer have not improved for over 20 years

A recent publication of research funded by BCRT1 has shown that there has been no improvement in survival rates in the UK for primary bone cancer in over 20 years, and that survival rates are lower in the UK than in other parts of Western Europe.

The five year survival rates for primary bone cancer have remained static for over twenty years, whilst the survival rates for many other cancers in children and young adults have improved significantly during this time.

By raising awareness of primary bone cancer, it is hoped that more funds will be raised so that more research can be carried out into the causes and treatment of primary bone cancer, improving outcomes for bone cancer patients, and ultimately, improving survival rates.

Osteosarcoma five year survival rates – around 55%
Ewing’s sarcoma five year survival rates – around 60%

As primary bone cancers are quite rare, they do not get the publicity and funding that is generated by other cancers. However, for the several thousand people who will develop these cancers over the next ten years, research into the causes and treatment of primary bone cancer is vital to improve their chance of a successful outcome, including increased survival rates and improved quality of life for survivors.

Bone cancers take longer to diagnose than any other type of cancer in young people

Early diagnosis could improve a young person’s chances of being treated successfully; yet primary bone cancer often goes undetected for months or years, being treated as a sports injury or growing pains by both patients and doctors alike.

• About half of young people with bone cancer say that they went to their doctor four or five times over several months before being referred for further investigation.
• On average it takes more than five months from first symptom to diagnosis for Ewing’s sarcoma and more than three months for osteosarcoma.
• Research shows that most delays occur after young people seek medical advice. The delays that occur are more commonly because professionals don’t ask for the right investigations.
• In the UK, young people with Ewing’s sarcoma are more likely to have bigger tumours or cancer that has spread, than those diagnosed in France or Germany.

By raising awareness amongst the general population the chances of early diagnosis will be greatly increased.

BCRT is aiming for:

• Greater understanding about the causes of primary bone cancer
• Greater access to new drugs
• Local therapy that meets the standards in other countries whose primary bone cancer patients have better outcomes
• Earlier diagnosis
• Improved survival rates

What we want you to do:

• SPREAD THE WORD - Inform as many people as possible about primary bone cancer; who it affects, how it is treated, what support is available to patients and families, and the need for more research into the causes and treatment for primary bone cancer
• SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE - Raise awareness about primary bone cancer; tell us your story so that we can contact the media and raise awareness about the disease and how it affects young people
• BAKE A CAKE FOR BONE CANCER - Raise money to help us to promote and fund all types of research to improve outcomes for patients and save lives.

How you can do it:

• Display our Awareness Week Posters (click here) in your workplace, gym, library, supermarket, school, GP surgery etc
• Display or handout our Information Leaflets or Newsletters at your workplace, gym, library etc
• Organise a Bake a Cake for Bone Cancer event in your local area and raise as much as you can at the same time as raising awareness of the issues surrounding primary bone cancer

For more information, or for an awareness week pack, or a Bake a Cake for Bone Cancer pack, please call David Fisher on 0113 2621852 or email david@bonecancerresearch.org.uk.