THE changing pattern of cancer across Greater Manchester is revealed in a report today - bringing hope to many sufferers.

The report focuses on 14 major cancers and includes 209,575 new cases of cancer which were first diagnosed between 1981 and 1996.

The report describes how some cancers have become more common while others are less frequent.

It also shows that, for many cancers, survival has improved in recent years.

The main findings of the research team were that in Greater Manchester and Lancashire, lung cancer is still the most common cancer in men and the second most common cancer in women.

However the most recent statistics show the rates have fallen in men and have recently begun to fall in young women.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and those with the disease are living longer, although in older women the improvements in survival are not as marked. Cancer of the oesophagus has become much more common but the survival rate in recent years has slightly improved.

Cancer of the stomach has now become much less common and there has been a slight upturn in survival rates.

The rates of colon cancer have risen in older men, but not in women or younger men, and people in all age groups with colon cancer are living longer.

Cancer of the rectum has become less common in women, but not in men, although people with this cancer have better chances of survival.

Cancer of the prostate has become more common, although more people are surviving, and cancer of the bladder has become more common and again survival has improved.

There's been a marked decrease in the incidence of cancer of the cervix, although older women who contract this disease do not survive its effects as do younger women.

The survival rates for women with cancer of the ovary have improved although Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma has become much more common.

The survival rates for patients with Hodgkins Disease have improved substantially and malignant melanoma, a form of skin cancer, has become much more common but there's been a marked improvement in survival.

Cancer of the pancreas has become less common in men, but not in women.

Some of the findings can be explained by better screening methods and greater public awareness of the risks of cancer, as well as better treatments.

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