In 2013, 284 out of every 100,000 people in the United Kingdom died from cancer – around 162,000 people.
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The drop is largely due to improvements in the detection, diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
The death rate for men fell 12% and for women by 8%, narrowing the gender gap.
Four cancers – lung, bowel, breast and prostate – cause nearly half (46 per cent) of all cancer deaths in the UK.
But the combined death rate for these four cancers mirrors the overall fall, dropping by around 11% over the last 10 years, from 146 people per 100,000 in 2003 to 131 people per 100,000 in 2013.
But some cancers – such as liver and pancreatic – have seen a rise in the rates of people dying, by 60 per cent over the last 10 years for liver cancer and by 8 per cent for pancreatic cancer.
Successes in the battle to tackle cancer death rates in Yorkshire could be undermined by an ageing population at higher risk of the disease, a charity has warned.
Research has proved to be the key factor in reducing the number of lives lost to cancer, with improved knowledge about preventing the disease, surgical techniques, precisely targeted radiotherapy and more effective drugs all boosting the outcome for patients.
Harpal Kumar, Cancer Research UK chief executive, said: “If the NHS doesn’t act and invest now, we will face a crisis in the future – with outcomes from cancer going backwards”.
Cancer Research UK says its unity band has two knots to represent unity and strength.
“The demographic distribution of different kinds of cancers also makes it important to invest in local clinical research”, ISCR said in a statement on the eve of World Cancer Day.
Around 80 per cent of cancer deaths occur in people aged 65 and over, and more than half occur in those aged 75 and older.
One in three people diagnosed with lung cancer have been lifelong-non-smokers with 20% of all women diagnosed never touching a cigarette.
Lung cancer now has poor rates of survival, with just 30% of people alive one year after diagnosis and 10% living for five years or more.
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“Wearing a Unity Band is a simple way to show your support and be part of the generation that transforms the lives of the millions of people affected by cancer. Together we can all do something to reduce the impact of this devastating disease”.
