Young people's cancers incidence rates in the UK are highest in the 20-24 age group, with almost 2 in 3 (64%) of all new cancer cases being diagnosed in this age group (2017-2019).
Young people’s cancers usually have no known cause. For most cancer types incidence increases with age, which largely reflects cell DNA damage accumulating over time. Damage can result from biological processes or from exposure to risk factors.
Young people's cancer incidence rates have increased by around a tenth (9%) in the UK since the early 2000s and rates have remained stable in the last decade (2017-2019).
View more detailed trends stats on our dashboard for young people's cancers
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Find out more about the sources which are essential for our statistics
Steliarova-Foucher E, Stiller C, et al. International Classification of Childhood Cancer, third edition. Cancer 2005;103:1457-67.
Public Health England. Children, teenagers and young adults UK cancer statistics report 2021. Accessed March 2021.
