Cancer deaths in the UK fall to historic low

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Cancer deaths in the UK have fallen by nearly 30% since 1989. According to Cancer Research, roughly 250 in every 100,000 people now die from the condition each year. The decline has been driven by better screening for malignancies that are easily treated if caught early, such as cervical cancer. Better medicines, including vaccines, have also brought down mortality rates. This remarkable trend is often obscured by another, which is that more people are getting cancer. This can partly be attributed to Britain’s ageing population, since people tend to develop cancers later in life. But the prevalence of early-onset cancer is rising too, with the rate among people aged 25 to 49 increasing by 24% between 1995 and 2019. Researchers are still trying to establish the cause, whether it be sedentary lifestyles or reliance on ultra-processed food. But although cancer is becoming more common, people are more likely to survive it.