CANCER DEATH RATES FALLING; Trusts on target.

Byline: MARIE LEVY

HEALTH officials are on course to meet challenging targets to cut the number of North-east cancer deaths by 20%, according to a detailed study.

Research undertaken by the North-East Public Health Observatory (NEPHO) found that the cancer death rate across the region had fallen significantly over a ten-year period.

But the study still called for more effective screening programmes to boost early detection levels and help to reduce deaths further in years to come.

Thousands of people aged under 75 in the region succumb to the killer disease every year, with the most common forms being lung, breast, prostate and bowel cancer.

But the NEPHO study reveals that many of the North-east''s primary care trusts look set to meet the Department of Health''s target of cancer deaths being reduced by a fifth between 1995 and 2010.

The report investigated cancer mortality rates between 1995 and 1997, and compared them to the statistics for 2005 to 2007.

It found that the average number of people dying of all forms of the disease - excluding skin cancer - had fallen from 4,679 in 1995-1997 to 3,845 in the 2005-2007 period.

The 19.5% drop was better than the national average of 17.7%, with primary care trusts (PCTs) in County Durham, Stockton and Gateshead, already having hit the Government's 2010 target. Darlington, Middlesbrough and Hartlepool PCTs had recorded decreases of about 14%.

NEPHO health information specialist for cancer intelligence Catherine Murdoch said: The North-east is, on the whole, making excellent progress towards achieving next year''s Government target.

This work is especially noteworthy as most PCTs in the region are considered to be in deprived areas. However, there is still a need for vigilance and we would urge PCTs that are not on target to consider their service provision, particularly screening programmes that can catch the disease at an early stage."