#WorldCancerDay: UK cancer death rates drop by 10 per cent over last decade

Photo: screen grab/by World Cancer Day.
Photo: screen grab/by World Cancer Day.

Death rates from cancer have dropped by nearly 10 per cent over the last decade, according to new figures released by Cancer Research UK.

According to the charity, the fall in cancer death rates is due to progress in detecting, diagnosing and treating the disease.

The figures have been released on World Cancer Day (February 4), a global event which aims to prevent deaths by raising awareness and education about the disease.

In 2013, 284 out of every 100,000 people in the UK died from cancer – around 162,000 people – a decade ago this was 312 in every 100,000.

As the population is growing and more people are living longer, the total number of cancer deaths has increased, it is reported.

Sir Harpal Kumar, Cancer Research UK’s chief executive, said: “Today on World Cancer Day, it’s important to remember that even though the death rates are falling, the overall number of people dying from cancer is expected to increase.

“This is because the population is growing and more of us are living longer. Too many people are still being diagnosed with and dying from cancer, not just here in the UK but around the world.”

Four cancers – lung, bowel, breast and prostate – cause almost half (46 per cent) of all cancer deaths in the UK, the new figures also report.

The combined death rate for these four cancers have dropped by about 11 per cent over the last decade, from 146 people per 100,000 in 2003 to 131 people per 100,000 in 2013.

Globally, there are an estimated 8.2 million deaths from cancer – 4.7 million in men and 3.5 in women.

Cancer Research UK’s next events in Sunderland are Race for Life, a series of women-only events, raising money for research into all 200 types of cancer, which takes place on Sunday, May 22.

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