Cancer death rates fall by third in 25 years but ‘alarm bells’ as cases of 4 cancers surge

CANCER death rates in middle-aged Brits have fallen by a third since 1993, a study found.

Men’s chance of dying from the disease between the ages of 35 and 69 has tumbled 37 per cent and women's 33 per cent.

Experts at Cancer Research UK say the number of tumours has risen over the past 25 years but death risk has substantially declined.

This is thanks to better testing and treatments and falling smoking rates, they said.

There are around 450,000 cancer cases per year in the UK and 180,000 deaths.

The charity’s analysis, published in the British Medical Journal, found death rates fell for 17 out of 22 specific tumour types as well as overall.

Cancer is still a defining health issue that impacts nearly one in two people

Michelle MitchellCEO, Cancer Research UK

For all cancer types, men's death rate fell from 300 to 190 deaths per 100,000 population per year.

For women the rate declined from 242 to 163 per 100,000 per year.

However, experts fear unhealthy lifestyles are driving increases in some types of disease with sunburn, weight gain and alcohol all raising the risks.

They noticed “concerning” rises in skin, liver, mouth and kidney tumours.

There are particular worries they will harm young people who are not routinely tested.

Jon Shelton, head of intelligence at CRUK, said: “This study helps us to see the progress we’ve made and where challenges clearly remain.

“We must continue to prevent as many cancer cases as possible, diagnose cancers sooner and develop kinder treatments.”

Chief executive Michelle Mitchell criticised long waits for NHS care and added: “Cancer is still a defining health issue in the UK that impacts nearly one in two people.”

The study analysed data from patients who were diagnosed or died between 1993 and 2018.

It said health policies and NHS screening have helped to slash cervical and lung cancer death rates.

The biggest declines were seen in stomach, bladder and cervical cancers, mesothelioma and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.