One in four over-65s 'will have cancer' by 2040

A shocking new study has estimated that one in four over-65s will have cancer by 2040.

Research funded by Macmillan Cancer Support found that, with the rising average age of the UK population, over the next 28 years 4.1 million older adults will be diagnosed with condition.

This is more than treble the 1.3 million patients with cancer recorded in 2010.

Professor Henrik Moller, one of the authors of the study at King's College London, commented: "'The aim of this research is to provide long-term projections of cancer prevalence in the UK. The research shows that large increases can be expected in the oldest age groups in the coming decades and, with this, an increased demand upon health services."

With the number of people with cancer rising, chief executive of Macmillan Cancer Support Ciaran Devane has called for the barriers to treatment to be addressed.

Further research into the relationship of certain types of cancers with age will also play a key role in developing treatments and therapies to tackle the problem.

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