Cancer incidence for common cancers

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK, accounting for almost a sixth (15%) of all cases in males and females combined (2015).[1-4] The next most common cancers in UK people are prostate (13%), lung (13%), and bowel (12%). Though there are more than 200 types of cancer, just these four types - breast, prostate, lung and bowel - together account for more than half (53%) of all new cases in the UK (2015).[1-4] The two most common cancer types occur mainly or exclusively in only one sex.

The 20 Most Common Cancers, UK, 2015

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in UK males, accounting for around a quarter (26%) of male cases (2015).[1-4] The next most common cancers in UK males are lung cancer (13%) and bowel cancer (13%). Prostate, lung and bowel cancers together account for more than half (52%) of all new cases in males in the UK. Head and neck, bladder, oesophageal cancers and leukaemia, are among the UK ten most common cancers in males, but not in females.

The Three Most Common Cancers in Males, Percentages of All Cancer Cases Excluding Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer (C00-C97 excl. C44), UK, 2015

The Ten Most Common Cancers in Males, Numbers of New Cases, UK, 2015

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in UK females, accounting for almost a third (31%) of all female cases (2015).[1-4] The next most common cancers in UK females are lung cancer (12%) and bowel cancer (11%). Breast, lung and bowel cancers together account for over half (54%) of all new cases in females in the UK. Two of the ten most common cancers in females are sex-specific (uterus and ovary), compared with just one of the ten most common in males (prostate). Breast, brain, other CNS and intracranial tumours and pancreatic cancer are among the ten most common cancers in females, but not in males.

The Three Most Common Cancers in Females, Percentages of All Cancer Cases Excluding Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer (C00-C97 excl. C44), UK, 2015

The Ten Most Common Cancers in Females, Numbers of New Cases, UK, 2015

Incidence trends over the last decade in the UK vary by cancer type and sex.[1-4] For most cancer types, incidence trends largely reflect changing prevalence of risk factors and improvements in diagnosis and data recording. Recent incidence trends are influenced by risk factor prevalence in years past.

Thyroid cancer has shown the fastest increase in incidence over the past decade in the UK in males (80%) and females (82%), followed by liver cancer (65% in males and 53% in females), within the current 20 most common UK cancers in males and females. Cancer of unknown primary has shown the fastest decrease in incidence over the past decade in the UK in males (39%) and females (37%), followed by stomach cancer (31% in males and 28% in females), within the current 20 most common UK cancers in males and females.

For lung, bowel, and oesophageal cancers, the incidence trend differs between the sexes. In males lung cancer incidence has decreased, while in females it has increased. In males bowel cancer incidence has decreased, while in females it has increased. In females, oesophageal cancer incidence has decreased, while in males it has remained stable.

The 20 Most Common Cancers 2015, Percentage Change in European Age-Standardised Three Year Average Incidence Rates, Males, UK, 2003-2005 and 2013-2015

The 20 Most Common Cancers 2015, Percentage Change in European Age-Standardised Three Year Average Incidence Rates, Females, UK, 2003-2005 and 2013-2015

Incidence rates are projected to rise for most types of cancer in the UK between 2014 and 2035.[1] Among cancer types with rising rates, the size of the overall increase between 2014 and 2035 ranges from 2% (breast cancer) to 74% (thyroid cancer).

For a smaller number of cancer types, incidence rates are projected to fall in the UK between 2014 and 2035. Among cancer types with falling rates, the size of the overall decrease between 2014 and 2035 ranges from 2% (non-Hodgkin lymphoma) to 53% (mesothelioma).

Selected Cancers, Number of New Cases and European Age-Standardised Incidence Rates, Males, UK, 1979, 2014 and 2035

Selected Cancers, Number of New Cases and European Age-Standardised Incidence Rates, Females, UK, 1979, 2014 and 2035

Thyroid cancer has the fastest-increasing projected incidence rates in both males and females, rising by more than 2% per year on average between 2015 and 2035.

The Five Cancers with the Highest Average Annual Percentage Change in European Age-Standardised Incidence Rates, Males, UK, 2015-2035

The Five Cancers with the Highest Average Annual Percentage Change in European Age-Standardised Incidence Rates, Females, UK, 2015-2035

There are relatively few cancer types where European age-standardised  incidence rates differ significantly between UK constituent countries. Such differences are often due to variation in data recording (e.g. definitions of recordable tumour types), risk factor prevalence (e.g. cigarette smoking rates), or diagnostic activity (e.g. screening uptake rates). Between-country variation is discussed on the types of cancer pages.

The five most common cancers are the same in all the UK constituent countries – breast, prostate, lung, and bowel cancers, and melanoma skin cancer.[1-4] The order of these five varies between countries. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in all the UK countries except Scotland, where lung cancer is most common.