The 6 deadliest cancers in the UK revealed – and the signs you should never ignore

SIX deadly cancers are responsible for around 67,000 deaths every year in the UK, experts have revealed.

Charities are now calling for more investment in order to speed up cancer detection and diagnosis after it was found that "less survivable cancers" make up half of all common cancer deaths in the UK. 

Data from the the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce (LSCT) found that lung cancer was the deadliest in the UK, followed by brain, head and neck tumours, pancreatic cancer, oesophageal cancer, stomach cancer and liver cancer.

The report found that just one third of patients diagnosed with one of these cancers will be diagnosed after an emergency admission to hospital.

This included when symptoms included coughing up blood or vomiting.

LSCT says this accounts for thousands of "catastrophic prognoses" for thousands of people each year.

But how can you spot if you have signs of one of the six deadliest cancers and what are the symptoms you should never ignore?

1. Lung cancer

The report states that lung cancer is the most common cancer in the world and in the UK 35,300 people die from the illness every year, while 47,800 people are diagnosed per year.

Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer, but it is not the only cause and 28 per cent of cases are not caused by smoking.

It does however mean that smokers and ex-smokers have an increased risk.

Lung cancer develops when the growth of abnormal cells starts in one or both lungs.

Healthy cells are needed to develop into healthy lung tissue and the abnormal cells are not able to carry out this function.

What to look out for?

The key symptoms of lung cancer include a cough that does not go away or gets worse, coughing up blood, weight loss and loss of appetite and feeling tired or weak.

You may also experience a chest pain which is worse when you breath deeply, hoarseness and shortness of breath.

2. Brain, head and neck tumours

Brain, head and neck tumours account for around 5,300 deaths a year in the UK.

It is the ninth most common cancer in the UK and 60 per cent of those diagnoses with a high-grade tumour will die within a year.

Just 12 per cent will survive for five years or more.

Tumours are a growth of cells that multiple in an uncontrollable way.

What to look out for?

Key symptoms include headaches, mental or behavioural changes, vision and speech issues and nausea and vomiting.

3. Pancreatic cancer

In the UK 60 per cent of people with pancreatic cancer are not diagnosed until the cancer is at an advanced stage - so it's important to know the signs.

Less than seven per cent of people with this cancer will survive beyond five years.

Pancreatic cancer is found in the pancreas - which is the organ in the top part of your stomach which helps you digest food.

What to look out for?

If you are experiencing pain in the stomach or back and unexpected weight loss then you may have pancreatic cancer.

Other symptoms include jaundice which is when the skin and the whites of the eyes turn yellow.

4. Oesophageal cancer

Oesophageal cancer impacts the gullet - which is the long tube that carries food from the throat to the stomach.

Each year in the UK there are around 9,100 cases of this cancer and just 15 per cent of patients survive the cancer for five years or more.

What to look out for?

If you have oesophageal cancer you may experience symptoms such as persistent indigestion or heartburn and you may find it difficult to swallow.

Other symptoms include a loss of appetite and weight loss, vomiting, pain in the stomach, chest or back, persistent cough, tiredness, shortness of breath and hoarseness.

5. Stomach cancer

Around 40 per cent of people who develop stomach cancer will survive for one year or more.

This cancer is more common in men than women and 50 per cent of cases occur in people over the age of 75.

Stomach cancer occurs when malignant cells form in the lining of the stomach.

Age and diet are both factors.

What to look out for?

Suffering from symptoms such as indigestion, feeling full faster, feeling bloated and feeling sick may mean you have stomach cancer.

Other symptoms include difficulty swallowing and stomach pain.

6. Liver cancer

Liver cancer begins in the cells of your liver - which is the football sized organ that sits in the upper right portion of your abdomen.

It is the sixth most common cancer and accounts for seven per cent of all cancer deaths.

Deaths from this cancer have soared by 50 per cent in the last ten years.

What to look out for?

If you have liver cancer then you may have symptoms such as swelling in your abdomen, jaundice and itchy skin.

Other symptoms include unintentional weight loss and loss of appetite, feeling full after eating or feeling and being sick.

The signs you should never ignore

While each individual cancer has specific symptoms to look out for, some symptoms are common across all of the six deadliest cancers.

There are three symptoms that were found across four of the six most deadliest cancers and these are the ones that you should take extra caution around.

If you have any of these symptoms then you should visit your GP.

1. Weight loss and loss of appetite

If you have recently experienced unintentional weight loss - this means when you have lost weight without trying a diet or weight loss plan, then you may have one of the deadly cancers.

As well as this a loss of appetite was also common across various cancers.

A loss of appetite is when you don't feel hungry even if you haven't been eating at regular intervals.

2. Nausea and vomiting

Feeling sick or queasy and vomiting without reason are also key symptoms.

If you are vomiting it may be that you have developed a stomach bug or food poisoning - but if you have these symptoms then you may want to visit a pharmacist to help with over the counter medication - which may solve the problem.

But if the symptoms persist it could be a sign of cancer, so you should visit your GP.

3. Stomach pain

Pain in the stomach without explanation is a key symptom.

Sometimes if we have allergies then we might experience stomach pain - so it's always good to understand what triggers this pain.

If the pain is unexplained and is consistent throughout the day then it could be a sign of cancer.

If you are worried about any potential symptoms or warning signs of cancer see your GP as soon as possible.