Fewer dying of cancer while incidence remains stable
 New statistics reveal that fewer middle-aged people are dying of cancer, while the number of new cases is stable. The findings were presented at the Britain Against Cancer conference. This is the first time that incidence trend data has been available over a 10 year period for the UK.
The figures, published by Cancer Research UK and the UK Association of Cancer Registries (UKACR), show that lung, breast, bowel and prostate cancers continue to be the most common types by far. But the incidence of some less common cancers is increasing.
A team led by Professor David Forman, Cancer Research UK researcher at the University of Leeds and Chair of the UKACR, analysed the latest trends among people aged between 35 and 69. By highlighting cancer trends in people currently in middle age, the figures give an insight into the types of cancer that will pose the biggest future threats as this group continues to age.
The number of people dying of bowel cancer has fallen considerably. Rates fell by more than a fifth in men and a quarter in women. And mortality from breast cancer fell by a quarter over the past 10 years, in spite of an increase in incidence.
Professor Forman says: "It's very important to look at cancer trends in younger adults, so we can see how the spectrum of cancer is changing. Having 10-year data has enabled us to do this for the first time for the UK as a whole. "
Prostate cancer incidence has more than doubled in 10 years. The dramatic rise in the incidence of prostate cancer is due largely to the increase in PSA testing.
The number of new cases of lung cancer in women is falling in 35 to 69 year olds, but the incidence of mouth cancer increased by 23 per cent in men and 24 per cent in women.
The number of melanomas diagnosed in the UK continues to rise. Incidence rates increased by a third in men and by just over a fifth in women. Cervical cancer incidence and mortality have fallen by 30 per cent. This is mainly due to the ability of screening and simple treatment of pre-malignancy to prevent the disease altogether.
Death rates for stomach cancer have dropped by 39 per cent in men and by 45 per cent in women. The dramatic improvement reflects changes in the way food is preserved and the eradication of Helicobacter pylori, through antibiotic use and improved social conditions.
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