A newly released map has identified the neighbourhoods in England and Wales with the highest cancer diagnosis rates. Nearly 3.5 million people in the UK are currently battling cancer or in remission, with over 400,000 new cases diagnosed annually.
Coastal Areas Hit Hardest
Data from the House of Commons Library reveals that coastal regions have the highest proportion of cancer diagnoses since 2003. The New Forest in the South East and East Devon in the South West dominate the top 10 list.
Six of the top 10 neighbourhoods are in the New Forest, an area known for high melanoma rates due to its older population and outdoor lifestyle, which increases UV exposure.
Top 20 Areas with Highest Cancer Survivor Rates
- New Milton West (New Forest) - 8.44%
- Sidmouth Sidford (East Devon) - 8.4%
- Milford & Lymington South (New Forest) - 8.2%
- Sidmouth Town (East Devon) - 8.18%
- New Milton East (New Forest) - 8.14%
- Lymington North & West (New Forest) - 7.92%
- Hythe (Shepway) - 7.84%
- Clun & Bucknell (Shropshire) - 7.82%
- Hordle & Bashley (New Forest) - 7.78%
- Barton on Sea (New Forest) - 7.77%
- Brockenhurst & Sway (New Forest) - 7.77%
- Hornsea (East Riding of Yorkshire) - 7.73%
- Bembridge & Nettlestone (Isle of Wight) - 7.71%
- Looe & Polperro (Cornwall) - 7.7%
- Hayling Eastoke (Havant) - 7.69%
- Seaford Town (Lewes) - 7.67%
- Cosford & Albrighton (Shropshire) - 7.66%
- South Hayling (Havant) - 7.65%
- Ferring & Kingston Gorse (Arun) - 7.63%
- Ferndown Town (East Dorset) - 7.62%
The figures are based on MSOA neighbourhoods, each containing 2,000 to 6,000 households. They include patients on GP registers with a cancer diagnosis since 2003, excluding those who have died from the disease.
