UK cancer cases have risen in women but fallen in men, new analysis shows
New UK statistics from World Cancer Research Fund show a 3.7% rise in the total number of cancer cases diagnosed in women in 2021 compared with 2019, while cases in men remained relatively stable.
In the UK, 395,181 cases of cancer were diagnosed in 2021, the latest year for which data is available for all 4 devolved nations: 200,870 in men, and 194,311 in women. These figures were compiled using data from the 4 UK cancer registries and include the latest overall UK incidence, as well as information about cancer within each of the 4 devolved nations.
Cancer cases in men remained stable (increasing very slightly by 0.2% to 200,870 in 2021 from 200,386 in 2019), while among women there were approximately 6,800 more cases in 2021 than in 2019 (194,311 up from 187,434 in 2019) – an increase of 3.7%. This means that although men still experience more cases than women, the difference is rapidly narrowing. The difference in the number of cases falling from approximately 12,900 in 2019 to 6,500 in 2021.
Why are UK cancer cases rising in women but not men? Dr Vanessa Gordon-Dseagu explores the evidence
Find out moreAlthough the number of cases significantly increased among women but not men, this still meant an overall increase of 2%. There could be several reasons for this, for example, changes in behaviour that began decades ago. An example of this would be rates of smoking declining earlier in men than women, with lung cancer incidence subsequently peaking much earlier in men than women.
Behaviour and prevention key
This shows that behaviour and prevention remain a key factor in reducing cancer risk: 40% of cancers could be prevented through changes in modifiable risk factors and behaviours. These include eating a healthy diet, limiting alcohol, maintaining a healthy bodyweight, and not smoking. Therefore around 158,000 cancer cases in the UK could be prevented a year.
Breast cancer remains the most common type of cancer among women in the UK, and the most common overall, with 59,115 new cases in 2021. This means that 3 in 10 new cases of cancer in women in 2021 were breast cancer (30%). Meanwhile, prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the UK. In 2021, 51,575 cases of prostate cancer were diagnosed – accounting for just over a quarter (26%) of all new cases of cancer in men in the UK.
Dr Vanessa Gordon-Dseagu, a consultant with our Research Interpretation team, said:
“While the total number of cancers is still higher among men than women, the latest increases among women, and decreases among men, suggest that this difference is declining quite rapidly.
“It is likely that any changes in the number of new cases are partially explained by behaviour. This will be particularly true for those cancers for which there is strong evidence that behaviour increases risk. For example, smoking increasing lung cancer risk or processed meat and alcohol increasing bowel cancer risk. Following our Cancer Prevention Recommendations can help people reduce their cancer risk.”
About World Cancer Research Fund
World Cancer Research Fund examines how diet, nutrition, weight and physical activity affect people’s risks of developing and surviving cancer. As part of an international network of charities, we fund life-saving research, influence policy and raise public awareness. Our work helps prevent cancer and enables people to live longer, healthier lives.
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