UK Cancer Statistics 2026
Around 375,000 people are diagnosed with cancer in the UK each year — one new diagnosis every 90 seconds. Live counter tracking diagnoses, treatment and survival.
New Cancer Diagnoses Per Year
New Diagnoses Per Day
Cancer Deaths Per Year
People Develop Cancer in Lifetime
10-Year Cancer Survival Rate
Living with Cancer in UK
Breast Cancer Diagnoses (Largest)
Prostate Cancer Diagnoses
Source: Cancer Research UK · NHS England · CRUK Cancer Statistics 2024
About These Statistics
Around 375,000 people are diagnosed with cancer in the UK every year — approximately one every 90 seconds. Around 1 in 2 people will develop some form of cancer in their lifetime, according to Cancer Research UK.
Cancer survival rates have improved dramatically over the past 40 years. The 10-year survival rate across all cancers is now approximately 50%, up from 25% in the 1970s. However, the UK still has lower cancer survival rates than some comparable countries partly due to later-stage diagnosis and treatment waiting time issues.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer with approximately 62,000 diagnoses per year, followed by lung cancer (48,000), prostate cancer (47,000) and bowel cancer (43,000). The NHS 62-day cancer treatment target is currently being met for only around 68% of patients.
Frequently Asked Questions
Based on official UK government data
How many people get cancer in the UK each year?
Around 375,000 people are diagnosed with cancer in the UK every year — one new diagnosis every 90 seconds. Around 1 in 2 people will develop cancer in their lifetime. The most common cancers are breast (62,000/yr), lung (48,000), prostate (47,000) and bowel (43,000).
What is the cancer survival rate in the UK?
The overall 10-year cancer survival rate in the UK is approximately 50%. Survival varies dramatically by cancer type — testicular cancer has over 95% 10-year survival; pancreatic cancer has under 7%.
How does UK cancer survival compare to other countries?
The UK has lower cancer survival rates than Australia, Canada, Norway and Sweden. The gap is partly attributed to later diagnosis. NHS England's Long Term Plan aims to diagnose 75% of cancers at stage 1 or 2 by 2028.
What are the NHS cancer waiting time targets?
The 62-day wait from urgent referral to first treatment is the most challenging target, currently met for around 68% against an 85% standard. The backlog built during Covid has been difficult to clear.
What causes the most cancer deaths in the UK?
Lung cancer causes the most cancer deaths at around 35,000 per year due to high incidence and relatively low survival rate. Bowel cancer (17,000/yr) and breast cancer (12,000/yr) are next.
Most Common Cancers in the UK — Annual Diagnoses
New cancer diagnoses per year. Source: Cancer Research UK.
| Cancer Type | Annual Diagnoses | 10-Year Survival |
|---|---|---|
| Breast | 62,000 | 78% |
| Lung | 48,000 | 13% |
| Prostate | 47,000 | 78% |
| Bowel | 43,000 | 57% |
| Melanoma | 17,500 | 83% |
| Pancreatic | 10,500 | 7% |
| All cancers combined | 375,000 | 50% |
Source: Cancer Research UK Cancer Statistics 2024
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