More people being diagnosed with cancer

Each year, more than 352,000 people are diagnosed with cancer in the UK, according to new figures from Cancer Research UK.

Reported by the BBC, the statistics show that there has been a 12 per cent increase in the number of people being diagnosed with the disease since the mid-90s.

Between 1993 and 1995, there were 500 people with cancer for every 100,000 living in the UK. In contrast, between 2011 and 2013, there were 603 people diagnosed for every 100,000 Britons.

Although there has been a significant improvement in diagnostic equipment and testing, experts say the dramatic increase is mainly to an ageing and growing population. Despite the chances of getting the disease growing, survival rates are also rising, though not for all forms of the disease.

Cancer Research UK warns that some cancers still have low survival rates, with progress still needing to be made for lung, pancreatic and oesophageal cancer. However, early diagnosis is key, as many of these are much more complicated to treat at a later stage.

Speaking to the BBC, Nick Ormiston-Smith, Cancer Research UK's head of statistical information, said people are living longer, so more people are getting cancer. However, the good news is that more people are surviving it.

He said: "There is still a huge variation in survival between different cancer types and there's a lot of work to do to reach Cancer Research UK's ambition for three in four patients to survive their disease by 2034."

There have been various studies suggesting that a person's cancer risk could be linked to their genetics, however, there are several lifestyle factors that experts still believe can increase the likelihood of getting cancer.

Having a healthy diet, getting enough exercise and avoiding excessive alcohol and smoking can all help to reduce your risk of developing cancer.

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