Cancer death rates in the UK have reached a historic low, with a decline of 11% over the past decade, according to new analysis by Cancer Research UK. The charity reported that around 247 per 100,000 people now die from cancer annually, a 29% drop from the peak in 1989 when the rate was approximately 355 per 100,000.
Significant reductions have been seen in several cancer types. Ovarian cancer death rates fell by 19% between 2012-2014 and 2022-2024, while stomach cancer dropped by 34% and lung cancer by 22%. Bowel cancer decreased by 6%, breast cancer by 14%, cervical cancer by 11%, leukaemia by 9%, and oesophageal cancer by 12%. However, some cancers saw increases, including gallbladder cancer (up 29%), eye cancer (26%), liver cancer (14%), and kidney cancer (5%). Rates for thyroid, pancreatic, and melanoma cancers remained stable.
Dr Sam Godfrey, science engagement lead at Cancer Research UK, attributed the overall decline to scientific breakthroughs, including vaccines and targeted treatments. He emphasised the need for continued government support for clinical trials and NHS research. The charity highlighted the impact of the HPV vaccine, introduced in 2008 and administered to over 6.5 million people, as well as smoking bans and screening programmes for breast, bowel, and cervical cancers.
Despite the falling rates, the charity noted that a growing and ageing population means the total number of cancer deaths continues to rise. Prostate cancer death rates have dropped by 11% in the last decade, partly due to better treatments such as abiraterone, a drug developed by Cancer Research UK scientists that blocks testosterone from fuelling the disease.
