Cancer Registrations Statistics, England 2021- First release, counts only

In 2020, there was a decrease in the number of all cancers diagnosed in England, which fell 12% from 327,174 new diagnoses registered in 2019 to 288,753 new cancer diagnoses registered in 2020. This contrasted with the normal pattern of small year-on-year increases in diagnoses that was seen up to 2019. For this reason, we compare the number of registered diagnoses in 2021 against 2019 in the rest of this publication as a more stable comparison.

In 2021, there was a small increase in the number of all cancers diagnosed in England, from 327,174 new diagnoses registered in 2019 to 329,665 new cancer diagnoses registered in 2021.

Between 2019 and 2021, the number of all cancers diagnosed in England decreased by 1% for males (from 169,599 to 167,918). This decrease was due to a return of the number of prostate cancer diagnoses to those seen in 2017, before the Fry and Turnbull effect observed in 2018.

Between 2019 and 2021, the number of all cancers diagnosed in England increased by 3% for females (from 157,575 to 161,747).

More cancers continue to be diagnosed and registered for males (167,918) than females (161,747).

The majority (94%) of all new cancer diagnoses registered continue to be found in 24 different cancers and just over half (53%) of all registered cancer diagnoses continue to be found in breast, prostate, lung, or bowel. For the first time this century, there were more diagnoses of bowel cancer (41,596) than lung cancer (39,635).

Figure 1 shows the number of new diagnoses in 24 common cancers split by gender. More detailed breakdowns by type of cancer and age are available in the data tables.

Notes:

• ICD-10 was used to classify cancer.
• All ages are combined.

The increase in diagnoses registered between 2019 and 2021 is spread unevenly across different cancers.

For males, the biggest increase numerically in cancer diagnoses registered was in bowel cancer, which increased by 2,368 (or 11%) between 2019 and 2021.  For all cancers combined, there was a decrease of 1,681 diagnoses between 2019 and 2021 which is a proportionate fall of 1%. This was largely because of the decrease in prostate cancer diagnoses of 4,101 (or 9%).

Table 1 shows the difference and the proportionate change in the number of new cancer diagnoses registered between 2019 and 2021 for male diagnoses of the 24 common cancers shown in Figure 1.

Table 1: Changes in the number of common cancers diagnosed for males between 2019 and 2021, England

For females, the largest change (as a proportion and numerically) in the number of cancer diagnoses registered between 2019 and 2021 was recorded for bowel cancer (an increase of 1,566 diagnoses or 9%). The number of breast cancer diagnosis increased by 1,377 or 3% among females.

Table 2 shows the difference and the proportionate change in the number of new cancer diagnoses registered between 2019 and 2021 for female diagnoses of the 24 common cancers shown in Figure 1.

Table 2: Change in the number of common cancers diagnosed for females between 2019 and 2021, England