Cancer Registrations in England - 2010

Number of newly diagnosed cases of cancer in males and females, England, 2010: most common sites

Source: Office for National Statistics

Notes:

1. Prostate cancer is defined by the International Classification of Diseases, tenth revision (ICD-10) code C61, lung cancer is defined as ICD-10 code C34, colorectal cancer is defined as ICD-10 codes C18-20 and breast cancer is defined as ICD-10 code C50.
2. Cancer incidence is defined using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes C00-C97 excluding code C44, non-melanoma skin cancer.
3. Percentages may not sum to total due to rounding.

Download chart data

• XLS format
  (19.5 Kb)

In 2010 there were 268,758 newly diagnosed cases of malignant cancer registered in England. Of this total, 136,372 cancers were in males and 132,386 in females, representing an increase of 1.3 per cent (1,736 cases) in males and 1.8 per cent (2,343) in females, compared with 2009.

The age-standardised incidence rate of all cancers is 423 males and 370 females per 100,000 population, compared with 424 males and 367 females per 100,000 population in 2009.

The four most common sites for new cancer registrations are breast, prostate, lung and colorectal, accounting for around 53 per cent of the 268,758 new cases of malignant cancer.

The three most common cancers for men are prostate, lung and colorectal. Prostate cancer accounts for over 25 per cent of all male cancers diagnosed in 2010. Between 2001 and 2010 the age-standardised incidence rate for prostate cancer increased by around 10 per cent.¹

Breast, lung and colorectal cancer are the three most common cancers in females. Breast cancer accounts for around one in three newly diagnosed cases of cancer in females. Between 2001 and 2010 the age standardised incidence rate increased by around 6.3 per cent. The chance of developing breast cancer incidence increases with age.² In 2010, the rise in the number of newly diagnosed cases of female breast cancer started in women their mid-30s, increased in women in their 40s, becoming more prevalent in females in their 50s and beyond.

 
Lung cancer accounts for around 14 per cent of all cancers in males and 11 per cent of all cancers in females. The age-standardised rate of lung cancer in males and females is 56 and 38 respectively per 100,000 population. In the UK, around 91 per cent of lung cancer in men and more than 86 per cent in women are linked to lifestyle and environmental factors.³

Colorectal cancer is cancer of the colon and rectum combined. In 2010, there were a total of 33,218 newly diagnosed cases of colorectal cancer. The age-standardised incidence rate of colorectal cancer is 57 males and 36 females per 100,000 population.

1 Cancer statistics – registrations, England, 2009. Series MB1 no.40, Office for National Statistics, 2011
2 Cancer Research UK
3 Cancer Research UK 

 

Source: Office for National Statistics

Background notes

1. Cancer incidence is coded as C00 to C97 using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10).

2. The numbers and rates for ‘all cancers’ in this summary refer to all malignant neoplasms (ICD-10 C00 – C97), excluding non-melanoma skin cancer (ICD-10 C44). Non-melanoma skin cancer (nmsc) is very common, but the policies and practices for the recording of nmsc have varied among the cancer registries, and over time. As the available figures are known to be under-estimates and unreliable for comparison purposes, they have been excluded from the figures for ‘all cancers’.
3. Age standardised rates in this release are expressed per 100,000 population and standardised to the European Population. They are standardised to allow for more robust comparisons between males and females, years and geographical areas.
4. Figures presented for years prior to 2010 are based on incidence/rates reported in the most recent Annual Reference Volume (Cancer statistics-registrations, England, 2009, Series MB1. no.40).
5. Further information about statistics on cancer registrations published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) can be found in the Summary Quality Report for Cancer Registrations.
6. Statistics on cancer in Scotland are available from the Scottish Cancer Registry.

7. Statistics on cancer in Wales are available from the Welsh Cancer Intelligence Surveillance Unit

8. Statistics on cancer in Northern Ireland are available from the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry

9. Details of the policy governing the release of new data are available by visiting www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/assessment/code-of-practice/index.html or from the Media Relations Office email: media.relations@ons.gsi.gov.uk

   These National Statistics are produced to high professional standards and released according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority.