Adapted from BMJ 16 March 2023
One in four deaths are due to cancer between the ages of 35 and 69. The most common 23 cancers were investigated by Shelton and colleagues. Even though we have an aging population, cancer deaths over the last 25 or more years have declined.
Data from adults in the UK, aged 35 to 69, who had a diagnosis or death from cancer were analysed retrospectively covering between 1993 and 2018.
The incidence of cancer registrations increased in both both sexes by a substantial amount. 57% increase for men and 48% for women. At the same time cancer mortality declined by 37% for men and 31% for women.
In men, the cancers with the best improved mortality were for stomach, bladder and mesothelioma with some improvement in prostate cancer. In women, the best improvements were for stomach, cervical and non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma with some improvement for breast cancer. In both genders lung and bowel cancer improved considerably.
In the UK the chances of dying from cancer before the age of 80 declined between 2002 and 2019 from one in six to one in eight for women and from one in five to one in six for men.
The results have been due to a reduction in smoking, less asbestos exposure at work, earlier detection due to screening and health education, improved diagnostic investigations and improved treatments.
France, the Netherlands and Sweden also show declining cancer deaths in the same age group.
Some types of cancer, are however increasing, mainly due to the increased weight of the general population.
Some cancers have become more common. Liver cancer incidence has been rising since 1980. This is due to increased alcohol consumption and body weight. These two factors account for 4.1% of cancers in men and 6.3% in women.
In adults under 50 the incidence and mortality rates for bowel cancer are rising. Various hypotheses for this are increased weight, less physical activity and antibiotic effects on the gut microbiome.
Diabetes Diet 
Unfortunately not for my mother-in-law who is now terminal 😔
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I think that it can indeed be hard to accept that a cancer is going to result in death. Overall, if you don’t include minor skin cancers, there is almost a 50% survival rate. In my lifetime, childhood leukaemia went from a death sentence to an 80% cure rate. Being in the 20% who don’t make it makes it even harder for parents who have their hopes up, justifiably, when told the expected prognosis.
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