PEOPLE in Wales must be made more aware of the risk factors for cancer, and inequalities in incidence and death rates must be cut.

These are two of the key aims of the NHS Wales Cancer Delivery Plan, a four-year vision for improving prevention, awareness, detection, treatment, after-care, and palliative care.

The plan places a series of expectations on Health Boards regarding how patients are dealt with, from the moment they are diagnosed, through every stage of their treatment and care.

Amongst these is a commitment to review, plan and reorganise cancer services where necessary in line with the latest evidence, standards and guidance.

Cancer incidence is rising in Wales, mirroring the trend in the rest of the UK but, also in line with other parts of the UK, the number of people surviving cancer is increasing.

Cancer however, takes more of a toll in less affluent areas, reflecting poorer lifestyles in terms of factors such as smoking, diet, and alcohol intake.

This is apparent in differences in cancer death rates across Wales, with areas such as Blaenau Gwent recording higher rates than places like neighbouring Monmouthshire.

Health Boards will have to decide how to address this and other inequalities, and health promotion campaigns, along with programmes to highlight the awareness of cancer risk factors may need to be targeted in particular areas.

Gwent health bosses are busy digesting the proposals for action contained in the 36-page plan, but one area in which Aneurin Bevan health Board is already performing well is in making sure patients referred with suspected cancer begin their treatment as quickly as possible.

The health board has also recently reviewed how it deals with head and neck cancer patients, to make sure capacity can meet demand, and a similar exercise has also been carried out for urogical cancers.