UK cancer cases to rise by 80% by 2035

The number of elderly people in the UK diagnosed each year with cancer is set to rise by 80% in less than two decades, a report from Cancer Research has predicted.

Cancer Research UK estimates that by 2035 about 234,000 over-75s will be diagnosed with cancer each year. That’s up from 130,000 cases now.

Currently about 36% of diagnosis of cancer cases are in people aged 75 or over but the charity’s report estimates that percentage will rise to 46% by 2035 due to the ageing population.

The charity has called on the NHS to prepare for the rise in older patients needs, especially since most are more likely to have multiple health conditions that could lead to a later diagnosis.

Rose Gray, Cancer Research UK's policy manager, said: "If we do nothing, the disparity in care between older and younger cancer patients will only grow.

"It's vital to address this if we want to realise our ambition of ensuring world-class treatment for everyone in the UK who is affected by cancer.

"It's also highly likely that this group will be the hardest hit by wider pressures facing the NHS, including severe workforce shortages.”

In the recent £20.5bn per year boost to the NHS from the government, they said cancer was a main “priority” and funding will go towards fighting it.

According to the charity this funding is needed especially since the number of people in the UK diagnosed with cancer has risen by 12% since the mid-90s. Out of those cases around 4 in 10 every year could be prevented, that’s more than 135,000 every year.

Nevertheless according to the Cancer Research UK survival rates are at a record high with around 7,000 people alive that would not have been cured in 2010.