UK Cancer Deaths Drop 22% in 50 Years Despite Rising Cases

Cancer death rates in the UK have fallen by 22% over the past 50 years. However, diagnoses have risen by almost half, according to a new analysis by Cancer Research UK (CRUK).

The Cancer in the UK Report 2025 provides the first 50 years of UK-wide data on cancer mortality and cases. Death rates fell from around 328 per 100,000 people in 1973 to around 252 per 100,000 in 2023.

CRUK described the findings as “profound.” The charity said improvements in diagnosis, treatment, and smoking reduction had helped drive the decline.

People today are twice as likely to survive their disease for at least 10 years compared to 50 years ago. Survival rates improved from 1 in 4 people in the early 1970s to 1 in 2 today.

Rising Incidence Despite Progress

Cancer incidence rates increased sharply by 47% during the same period. Cases rose from around 413 to 607 per 100,000 people. 

However, the charity noted that because of the UK’s growing and ageing population, actual numbers continue to rise. Nearly 1100 new cases are diagnosed daily, with more than 460 deaths each day. 

This occurs despite significant progress in prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment.

CRUK called on the government to ensure that its upcoming National Cancer Plan for England is “ambitious and fully funded.”

Early Diagnosis Rates Stagnant

Research into improving screening programmes, tests, and drugs helped reduce death rates. Policy action on smoking reduced rates for cancers with poor survival outcomes.

Lung cancer mortality rates decreased from 80.9 per 100,000 people in 1971-1973 to 49.8 in 2021-2023. Bowel cancer rates fell from 48.0 to 26.3, whilst breast cancer dropped from 30.7 to 16.9.

However, pancreatic cancer rates remained stable at around 15 per 100,000 people. Some cancers showed increases, including prostate cancer from 13.3 to 18.3 and oesophageal cancer from 9.2 to 12.0. 

Just over half of cancers (54%) were diagnosed at an early stage in England, the report found. This proportion has not changed for almost a decade.

Around half of all new cancer diagnoses occur in people aged 70 or over. However, incidence rates are rising fastest in younger people, with a 23% increase in people aged 20-49 years since the early 1990s.

Screening Programmes Save Lives

Three cancer screening programmes save around 5000 lives every year across the UK, according to CRUK. 

Smoking remains the biggest cause of cancer in the UK. It accounts for around one fifth of all cancer deaths each year. Around 1 in 20 UK cancer deaths are now linked to being overweight or obese.

​Michelle Mitchell, CRUK’s chief executive, welcomed the reduced death rates and doubled survival rates. However, she stressed that too many cases are diagnosed at a late stage.

“If we want to change that, we need bold action from the UK government,” Mitchell said.

Professor Peter Johnson, NHS national clinical director for cancer, highlighted recent innovations. These include lung cancer screening in car parks and artificial intelligence technology to spot skin cancer.

Mitchell urged that the upcoming National Cancer Plan for England must improve survival and transform services. She said the plan “could save countless lives across England and ensure people affected by cancer live longer, better lives.”

CRUK has also published devolved nation summaries of its findings for Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Rob Hicks is a retired National Health Service doctor. A well-known TV and radio broadcaster, he has written several books and has regularly contributed to national newspapers, magazines, and online publications. He is based in the United Kingdom.