Cancer death rates in the UK are at their lowest level on record, 29% down from when they peaked in 1989, according to our latest data.
Around 250 in every 100,000 people die from cancer each year now. That’s 11% lower than the mortality rates just ten years ago.
“These figures represent decades of crucial scientific breakthroughs – from vaccines that prevent cancer to kinder, more targeted treatments,” said Dr Sam Godfrey, our science engagement lead.
“Because of this, thousands more people today can make memories, reach milestones, and spend precious time with their loved ones.”
The research making the difference to cancer death rates
Cervical cancer has seen one of the biggest improvements across cancer types, with a 75% reduction in death rates over the past 50 years.
That progress is set to continue thanks to innovations like the HPV vaccine, which was first introduced in 2008 and is expected to prevent 90% of all cervical cancer cases. At least 6.5 million people have now received the vaccine in the UK, making a future where almost no one develops cervical cancer increasingly possible.
Cancer Research UK played a central role in developing and testing the HPV vaccine, which prevents cervical cancer by protecting people from high-risk forms of human papillomavirus.
Now, we’re funding LungVax, OvarianVax and LynchVax, vaccines designed to prevent cancer by training the immune system to clear out cells with the potential to become cancerous.
Research into new treatments has also played an important role in pushing down cancer death rates. We helped fund the research that led to abiraterone, a groundbreaking drug that stops prostate cancer from creating testosterone to fuel its growth. Hundreds of thousands of people worldwide use abiraterone to keep their cancer from growing, and the NHS recently made it available to thousands more people every year in England.
Our researchers also set the stage for targeted and personalised cancer treatments by discovering EGFR, a molecule that can drive lung cancer growth. Since then, it’s become possible for doctors and scientists to directly target the different DNA changes that appear in cancer cells using precision medicines. Now, we’re supporting work to upgrade these targeted drugs and find new ways to combine them with tools like immunotherapy.
Building on the progress we’ve made so far
Death rates for a number of other cancer types, including stomach cancer, testicular cancer and Hodgkin’s lymphoma, have also dropped considerably, but not all cancer types have seen the same positive trend. Liver cancer, womb cancer, and head and neck cancer have all seen an increase in mortality rates in recent years.
And yet, even in cases where progress has stalled or slowed, research is beginning to show how we can keep pushing forward. Death rates for cancers that affect brain and central nervous system have remained relatively stable since the early 2000s, but we’ve made vital breakthroughs for improving survival.
For instance, the drug temozolomide, which was developed and trialled by our researchers, was approved for use in the 2000s and is now helping more people with fast-growing brain tumours called glioblastomas survive the disease for longer.
Early results from our trials of temozolomide motivated researchers and doctors by showing that new drugs could make a real difference for people with brain tumours. That helped pave the way for innovative trials like 5G, which is treating glioblastoma patients with new drug combinations matched to the genetic makeup of their individual tumour. Recently, our researchers have also made a host of important discoveries about the way brain tumours grow, spread and interact with the immune system, which could lead to more effective treatments in the years to come.
A turning point for the NHS
Other factors which have contributed to falling death rates include policy action on preventable risk factors such as smoking, and the roll-out of nationwide screening programmes for breast, bowel and cervical cancers.
Continuing that kind of work is vital, as the UK’s growing and ageing population means that overall cancer deaths continue to rise. With the NHS under significant pressure, there are real challenges in healthcare that could stop research progress reaching the people who need it most.
The recently published National Cancer Plan is an important step towards improving cancer outcomes in England, with crucial ambitions to back research and accelerate the set-up of life-saving clinical trials. Now we’re calling for the political parties in the upcoming Welsh and Scottish elections follow suit and make 2026 a turning point for cancer across more of the UK.
“The UK has been a global leader in cancer research, but we can’t take progress for granted,” said Godfrey. “It’s essential that the Government makes it easier and faster to set up clinical trials, as well as providing NHS staff with the time and space to carry out life-saving research.”
