Cancer death rates 60% higher in deprived UK areas, study finds

For all cancers combined, mortality rates in poorest areas stand at 337 deaths per 100,000 people, compared to 217 deaths per 100,000 in most affluent areas, shows Cancer Research UK

Cancer death rates in the UK are 60% higher among people living in the most deprived areas compared to those in wealthier regions, according to a new analysis by Cancer Research UK on Friday. The charity's findings reveal a stark inequality, with 28,400 extra cancer deaths annually linked to deprivation, equivalent to 78 additional deaths every day. For all cancers combined, mortality rates in the poorest areas stand at 337 deaths per 100,000 people, compared to 217 deaths per 100,000 in the most affluent areas—making them nearly 1.6 times higher. Lung cancer is the leading cause of these deaths, with mortality rates nearly three times higher in the most deprived areas. The report highlights smoking as the biggest contributor to cancer, with smoking rates in poorer communities at least three times higher than in the wealthiest. The charity also found major differences in access to cancer care. Patients in the most deprived areas of England are up to a third more likely to wait over 104 days for treatment after an urgent referral. Additionally, they are 50% more likely to be diagnosed after presenting symptoms as an emergency case, rather than through earlier detection methods. Dr. Ian Walker, executive director of policy and information at Cancer Research UK, described the findings as "shocking and unacceptable." “No one should be at a greater risk of dying from this devastating disease simply because of where they live. These figures are shocking and unacceptable – but crucially, they’re avoidable.” The charity urged the UK government to take urgent action to tackle these health inequalities by investing in prevention, early diagnosis, and timely access to treatment, particularly in deprived areas.