Cancer statistics

2:47pm Wednesday 19th March 2008

It is estimated that more than one in three people will develop some form of cancer during their lifetime.

The disease primarily affects older people but people up to the age of 50 are at an estimated risk of 1 in 27 from cancer.

In the 30 year period 1975 to 2004, the overall age-standardised incidence rate for cancer has increased in Great Britain, by 25 per cent with a 15 per cent increase in men and a 32 per cent increase in women.

In the UK, 284,560 people were diagnosed with cancer in 2004. Four types - breast, lung, bowel (colorectal) and prostate - account for more than half of all new cases of cancer.

There were 34,880 newly diagnosed cases of cancer (excluding non melanoma skin cancer) in the north west in 2004. The cancer incidence rate in the north west is higher than any other region in England.

In 2004, there were 5,232 newly diagnosed cases of breast cancer in the north west.

There were 1,519 cases of Hodgkin's lymphoma in the UK in 2004. More than three in five cases of Hodgkin's lymphoma occur in people aged under 50