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Cancer cases reach all-time high – and numbers expected to grow

Breast cancer was the most common cancer diagnosed in 2015, with 46,083 cases registered.

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The number of cases of cancer in England have reached the highest level on record.

New figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that 299,923 new cancer diagnoses were registered in 2015.

This is the equivalent of 822 every day.

Cancer Research UK warned that the figure will “only continue to grow”.

Emma Greenwood, director of policy and public affairs at the charity, said: “These figures highlight the number of lives affected by cancer in England and the scale of the challenge that the health system faces.

“This is the highest number ever seen and will only continue to grow. Across the UK, we expect around two million people to be diagnosed with cancer over the next five years. Tackling cancer and achieving world-class outcomes for people across the country must be a priority.”

The figure does not necessarily mean that 299,923 people were diagnosed with cancer, as some may have received a diagnosis for more than one cancer in the year studied.

But the ONS data shows that slightly more cancers were registered among men than women, with 153,061 new cases of cancer among men diagnosed, compared with 146,862 new cases among women.

“Generally, cancer incidence rates have increased,” according to the ONS statistical bulletin.

“Advances in medicine have resulted in early detection of cancers, increasing the detection of cancer while reducing the number of people dying from the disease. Therefore, cancer mortality rates have generally decreased over time, despite the increase in cancer incidence.”

Pensioners were most affected by new cases of cancer, with people over the age of 65 accounting for 65.2% of all cancers registered in 2015.

Breast, prostate, lung and colorectal cancer accounted for just over half (53%) of all cases.

Breast cancer was the most common cancer diagnosed in 2015, with 46,083 cases registered, including 319 cases among men, the ONS figures show. Among men, prostate cancer accounted for one in four cancer cases, with 40,331 cases registered.

The second most common cancer for both males and females was lung cancer, followed by bowel cancer.

The figures also show that cancer incidence is highest in the north of England and lowest in London.

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