Cancer death rates have fallen dramatically in Britain since the 1980s, thanks to earlier diagnosis, better screening and major advances in treatment. Recent analysis by Cancer Research UK found the UK cancer death rate has fallen by nearly a third since the late 1980s, dropping from around 355 deaths per 100,000 people in 1989 to about 247 today.

In the past decade alone mortality has fallen by 11%, with major declines in cancers such as stomach (down 34%), lung (22%) and ovarian (19%). However, experts say the progress masks shifting trends in how some cancers are developing, with certain types increasing or changing patterns across the population.

Dr Jiri Kubes, radiation oncologist and medical director at the Proton Therapy Center, said the encouraging fall in deaths should not obscure the fact that cancer patterns are evolving. He said: "Overall cancer survival has improved significantly over recent decades, which is extremely encouraging.

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“However, we are also seeing concerning increases in certain cancers, and in some cases these are appearing more frequently in younger adults. He said lifestyle, environmental factors and longer life expectancy are all thought to be contributing to shifting cancer trends.

Despite these trends, Dr Kubes stressed that overall progress in cancer treatment remains significant, saying: "Earlier diagnosis, more precise radiotherapy techniques and improved systemic treatments are helping many more patients live longer. But prevention and early detection remain some of the most powerful tools we have to reduce cancer risk in the future.”

One of the most notable changes is the increase in bowel cancer diagnoses among people under 50. Historically the disease was far more common in older adults, but rates among younger patients have been climbing in several developed countries.

Dr Kubes said diet, obesity and sedentary lifestyles are thought to play a role. He said: “Modern diets that are high in processed foods and low in fibre can influence gut health and long-term inflammation, which may increase cancer risk.

“At the same time many people are spending more time sitting and less time being physically active than previous generations.”

According to Bowel Cancer UK the cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK with almost 44,000 people diagnosed with the disease every year. More than nine out of 10 new cases (94%) are diagnosed in people over the age of 50.

However it can affect anyone of any age. More than 2,600 new cases are diagnosed in people under the age of 50 every year. One in 17 men and one in 20 women will be diagnosed with bowel cancer during their lifetime.

The charity says bowel cancer is treatable and curable especially if diagnosed early. Nearly everyone survives bowel cancer if diagnosed at the earliest stage. However this drops significantly as the disease develops. Early diagnosis saves lives.

More than 16,800 people die from bowel cancer in the UK every year. But the number of people dying of bowel cancer has been falling since the 1970s. This is due to earlier diagnosis, better treatment options and the start of the national bowel cancer screening programme.

Symptoms of bowel cancer

Symptoms of bowel cancer may include:

• changes in your poo, such as having softer poo, diarrhoea or constipation that is not usual for you


• needing to poo more or less often than usual for you


• blood in your poo, which may look red or black


• bleeding from your bottom


• often feeling like you need to poo, even if you've just been to the toilet


• tummy pain


• a lump in your tummy


• bloating


• losing weight without trying


• feeling very tired or short of breath – these are signs of anaemia, which can be caused by bowel cancer

Dr Jubes said liver and pancreatic cancers were also two forms of the disease which were increasing. He said doctors were seeing broader increases in both cancers across the population.

Unlike bowel cancer, the rise in pancreatic cancer is not primarily linked to younger adults but reflects a wider population trend. Dr Kubes said changing health patterns may be contributing. “Conditions such as obesity, diabetes and fatty liver disease have become more common and these can significantly increase the risk of certain cancers,” he said.

While pancreatic cancer remains less common than many other cancers can be difficult to detect early. Dr Kubes said: "Symptoms often appear late, which makes early diagnosis challenging. That is why awareness of persistent symptoms such as unexplained weight loss, abdominal pain or ongoing digestive problems is so important.”

According to Cancer Research UK liver cancer is the fastest rising cause of cancer death in the UK. Analysis released in 2025 showed that death rates from liver cancer are almost twice as high as they were 20 years ago.

It said at the time: "In the past 20 years, liver cancer has killed around 81,300 people across the UK. It’s expected to kill even more in the next 15 years, causing around 135,000 deaths."

Liver cancer symptoms

According to the NHS liver cancer may not have any symptoms, or they might be hard to spot. The symptoms are the same if the liver cancer starts in the liver (primary liver cancer) or spreads from another part of the body (secondary liver cancer).

Symptoms of liver cancer can include:

• the whites of your eyes turning yellow or your skin turning yellow, which may be less obvious on brown or black skin (jaundice) – you may also have itchy skin, darker pee and paler poo than usual


• loss of appetite or losing weight without trying to


• feeling tired or having no energy


• feeling generally unwell or having symptoms like flu


• a lump in the right side of your tummy

Other symptoms can affect your digestion, such as:

• feeling or being sick


• pain at the top right side of your tummy or in your right shoulder


• symptoms of indigestion, such as feeling full very quickly when eating


• a very swollen tummy that is not related to when you eat

Meanwhile every year around 367,000 new cases of pancreatic cancer are diagnosed with around 165,000 people dying as a result of the disease, says Pancreatic Cancer Research. Most recent figures, from 2010-11, show just 3% of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer will survive five years or more.

This compares with an average of around 50% of people diagnosed with any form of cancer who now survive for five years. And at the other end of the scale as many as 98% of people diagnosed with testicular cancer will survive five years or more.

Pancreatic cancer symptoms

Pancreatic cancer may not have any symptoms, or they might be hard to spot. Symptoms of pancreatic cancer can include:

• the whites of your eyes or your skin turn yellow (jaundice), and you may also have itchy skin, darker pee and paler poo than usual


• loss of appetite or losing weight without trying to


• feeling tired or having no energy


• a high temperature, or feeling hot, cold or shivery

Other symptoms can affect your digestion, such as:

• feeling or being sick


• diarrhoea or constipation, or other changes in your poo


• pain at the top part of your tummy and your back, which may feel worse when you're eating or lying down and better when you lean forward


• symptoms of indigestion, such as feeling bloated