YORKSHIRE Cancer Research has launched a £1.5m five-year scheme to improve treatment and care for bowel cancer.

The number of people diagnosed with bowel cancer in York is higher than the national average, with 74.9 incidences per 100,000 people, compared to 71.6 nationally.

However, the one year survival rate is better than the national average, with 79.7 per cent of people surviving one year, compared to 76.7 nationally and survival rates in the Vale of York are considerably better than many other parts of Yorkshire, the charity has said.

Yorkshire Cancer Research has highlighted the ‘postcode lottery’ in one year survival rates across the region to mark this month's Bowel Cancer Awareness Month.

Leeds South and East Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has one of the poorest survival rates in the country, with just 71.5 per cent of patients surviving one year after diagnosis in 2012. Sheffield CCG, the best performing area in Yorkshire, had a one year survival rate of 79.8 per cent.

The new programme will use existing and new data to learn more about the current practice and performance of Yorkshire hospitals. The team will then work closely with hospitals to identify areas for improvement and how to do that.

Professor Phil Quirke, who is leading the project, said: “This project will ensure the highest quality of treatment is available across the county including state-of-the-art surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy as well as collecting information specific to each patient which will be used to guide treatment and monitor outcomes.

“The aim is for all hospitals in the region to achieve the ‘gold standard’ in bowel cancer treatment and care, saving the lives of 150 patients every year in Yorkshire.”

In 2012, 3,476 people were diagnosed with bowel cancer in Yorkshire. Based on the average Yorkshire one year survival rate, an estimated 2,638 patients survived one year after diagnosis. If all areas in Yorkshire matched the England average, an additional 28 people would have survived for one year after being diagnosed. If Yorkshire matched the best in England – Stafford and Surrounds CCG at 83.4 per cent - an additional 261 people in the region would have survived at least one year.

Charles Rowett, chief executive officer at Yorkshire Cancer Research, said: “The variation in bowel cancer outcomes across Yorkshire is shocking and needs to be tackled urgently. Thanks to the continued support of people living in and around Yorkshire, we are delighted to be able to fund research that will address these huge discrepancies so that everyone in the region, no matter where they live, has the very best possible chance of survival.”

- Bowel cancer screening is currently available for all people aged 60-74. Those eligible will receive a home test kit every two years. This is known as the faecal occult blood (FOB) test. Those over 75 can request a kit by calling Freephone 0800 707 60 60.