Sam Rowlands, Member of the Welsh Parliament for North Wales, backs campaign to increase research funding for cancers with the lowest survival rates.
Mr Rowlands is supporting the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforces’, LSCT campaign to invest in research to improve the poor survival chances of people diagnosed with cancers of the brain, liver, lung, oesophagus, pancreas or stomach (the Less Survivable Cancers).
He recently joined members of the Senedd who attended the LSCT’s event in Cardiff as part of Less Survivable Cancers Awareness Week.
He said:
Thousands of people are diagnosed with one of the less survivable cancers in Wales every year and it’s extremely sad to know their long term chances are so dire. We all need to recognise the scale of this challenge and back research into these cancers.
The Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce (LSCT) is calling for more investment into research for cancers of the brain, liver, lung, oesophagus, pancreas and stomach, which it says receive disproportionately low government funding despite causing almost 40% of all common cancer deaths in the UK.
Figures obtained by the LSCT through Freedom of Information requests show that these cancers receive less than one-fifth, or 18.92%, of all government-funded cancer research.
This means that research into less survivable cancers receives around £130 less per cancer death than the average across all cancers. Some, such as oesophageal cancer, receive as little as £40 per death compared to an average of £310 across other types.
Greg Pycroft, Policy and Public Affairs Manager at Tenovus Cancer Care and Chair of the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce Wales subgroup, said:
The figures released this week are disappointing but not surprising.
We know that the less survivable cancers, which account for a significant proportion of cancer deaths, receive insufficient research funding, which is partly why patient outcomes are so poor.
All cancer patients deserve a fighting chance, and increased research is crucial for improving diagnosis and treatments.
Sam Rowlands AS yn cefnogi mwy o gyllid ymchwil i wella goroesiad canser yng Nghymru
Mae Sam Rowlands, yr Aelod o’r Senedd dros Ogledd Cymru, yn cefnogi ymgyrch i gynyddu cyllid ymchwil ar gyfer canserau gyda'r cyfraddau goroesi isaf.
Mae Mr Rowlands yn cefnogi ymgyrch LSCT y Tasglu Canserau Llai Goroesadwy i fuddsoddi mewn ymchwil i wella cyfraddau goroesi gwael pobl sy'n cael diagnosis o ganserau'r ymennydd, yr afu, yr ysgyfaint, yr oesoffagws, y pancreas neu'r stumog (y Canserau Llai Goroesadwy).
Yn ddiweddar, ymunodd ag aelodau o'r Senedd a fynychodd ddigwyddiad LSCT yng Nghaerdydd fel rhan o Wythnos Ymwybyddiaeth Canserau Llai Goroesadwy.
Meddai:
Mae miloedd o bobl yn cael diagnosis o un o'r canserau llai goroesadwy yng Nghymru bob blwyddyn ac mae'n drist iawn gwybod bod eu siawns hirdymor mor ofnadwy. Mae angen i ni gyd gydnabod graddfa'r her hon a chefnogi ymchwil i'r canserau hyn.
Mae'r Tasglu Canserau Llai Goroesadwy yn galw am fwy o fuddsoddiad mewn ymchwil ar gyfer canserau'r ymennydd, yr afu, yr ysgyfaint, yr oesoffagws, y pancreas a'r stumog, sy'n dweud eu bod yn derbyn cyllid anghymesur o isel gan y llywodraeth er gwaethaf achosi bron i 40% o'r holl farwolaethau canser cyffredin yn y DU.
Mae ffigurau a gafwyd gan yr LSCT trwy geisiadau Rhyddid Gwybodaeth yn dangos bod y canserau hyn yn derbyn llai nag un rhan o bump, neu 18.92%, o'r holl ymchwil canser a ariennir gan y llywodraeth.
Mae hyn yn golygu bod ymchwil i ganserau llai goroesadwy yn derbyn tua £130 yn llai fesul marwolaeth canser na'r cyfartaledd ar draws pob canser. Mae rhai, fel canser yr oesoffagws, yn derbyn cyn lleied â £40 fesul marwolaeth o'i gymharu â chyfartaledd o £310 ar draws mathau eraill.
Meddai Greg Pycroft, Rheolwr Polisi a Materion Cyhoeddus yn Gofal Canser Tenovus a Chadeirydd is-grŵp Tasglu Canserau Llai Goroesadwy Cymru:
Mae'r ffigurau a ryddhawyd yr wythnos hon yn siomedig ond nid yn syndod.
Rydyn ni’n gwybod bod y canserau llai goroesadwy, sy'n cyfrif am gyfran sylweddol o farwolaethau canser, yn derbyn cyllid ymchwil annigonol, a dyna'n rhannol pam mae canlyniadau cleifion mor wael.
Mae pob claf canser yn haeddu cyfle i ymladd, ac mae mwy o ymchwil yn hanfodol ar gyfer gwella diagnosis a thriniaethau.
