Cancer death rate among middle-aged people falls

Fewer middle-aged people are dying from cancer than at any point in 25 years, although cases are rising due to factors such as obesity, researchers say.

- JANE KIRBY

A study from Cancer Research UK and published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) found death rates from the disease among those aged 35 to 69 have plummeted, thanks to screening, better treatments and policies aimed at cutting smoking.

However, the UK-wide study warns that improvements in survival are slowing down, while cancer cases are rising, with a 57 per cent jump in men and a 48 per cent jump in women over the 25-year period.

In 1993, some 55,014 cancer cases were registered in men, but this rose to 86,297 in 2018, while in women the rise was from 60,187 to 88,970.

The researchers said the increases were mainly driven by rises in prostate and breast cancer, in part thanks to tests and screening, though there were also “concerning” rises in melanoma, liver, oral and kidney cancers.

While cancer cases are rising due to a growing population, factors such as obesity, drinking too much and being inactive play a role, they said.

Cancer Research UK said that, if action is taken against smoking, being overweight and obesity and alcohol, nearly 37,000 cancer cases could be prevented by 2040.

According to the study, four cancers (liver, melanoma, oral and kidney) showed “substantial increases in incidence” of more than 2 per cent per year in both sexes across the 25 years.