Publication, Part of Cancer registrations statistics, England
Cancer Registrations Statistics, England 2021- First release, counts only
National statistics, Accredited official statistics
Cancer incidence by gender and age
In 2021, the 3 most common cancers diagnosed in England varied by gender and age group. The 3 most common cancers for each combination of age group and gender in 2021 are the same as those seen in 2019.
For both male and female patients aged 0 to 14 years, the 2 most common cancers are leukaemia and brain cancer. In males aged 0 to 14 years, the third most common cancer is non-Hodgkin lymphoma; for females the third most common cancer is kidney cancer. In patients aged 0 to 14 years, the three most common cancers accounted for 56% of diagnoses in males and 54% of diagnoses in females.
For adult males aged 15 to 44 years, testicular cancer was the most commonly diagnosed (Figure 2) while prostate cancer was the most commonly diagnosed cancer in adult males aged 45 years and over. For males in all age groups 45 to 74 years, bowel cancer was the second most commonly diagnosed cancer; for those aged 75 and over, lung cancer was the second most commonly diagnosed cancer. For males aged 45 to 54 years, the third most common cancer to be diagnosed was lip, oral cavity and pharynx cancer; for those aged 55 to 74 years, lung cancer was the third most commonly diagnosed cancer; for those aged 75 and over, bowel cancer was the third most commonly diagnosed cancer.
Breast cancer was the most commonly diagnosed cancer in females aged 15 years and over, accounting for 48% of cancers diagnosed in those aged 45 to 54 years, and gradually decreasing to 21% of cancers diagnosed in those aged 75 years and over (Figure 3). For females aged 45 to 54 years, bowel cancer was the second most commonly diagnosed cancer and the third most common cancer to be diagnosed was melanoma of skin. For those aged 55 years and over, lung cancer was the second most commonly diagnosed cancer and bowel cancer was the third most commonly diagnosed cancer.
Up until 2019, the number of all cancers diagnosed was proportionately slightly larger than the previous year of diagnoses for most combinations of age and gender. Between 2019 and 2021 there was a small increase in the number of cancers registered for males in 7 out of 20 age groups (aged 1 to 4, 15 to 19, 40 to 44, 60 to 64, 75 to 79 and 85 and over). Whereas for females, there was a small increase in the number of cancers registered in 15 out of 20 age groups. There are decreases in the number of registered diagnoses for all cancers in every other combination of age and gender.
Table 3: Change in the number of all cancers diagnosed for males between 2019 and 2021 by age, England
Age group |
Diagnoses registered in 2019 |
Diagnoses registered in 2021 |
Change in the number of diagnoses registered |
Proportionate change in the number of diagnoses registered |
Under 1 |
88 |
80 |
-8 |
-9% |
1 to 4 |
287 |
303 |
16 |
6% |
5 to 9 |
240 |
210 |
-30 |
-13% |
10 to 14 |
237 |
234 |
-3 |
-1% |
15 to 19 |
303 |
340 |
37 |
12% |
20 to 24 |
544 |
508 |
-36 |
-7% |
25 to 29 |
922 |
821 |
-101 |
-11% |
30 to 34 |
1,282 |
1,233 |
-49 |
-4% |
35 to 39 |
1,696 |
1,642 |
-54 |
-3% |
40 to 44 |
2,202 |
2,368 |
166 |
8% |
45 to 49 |
3,951 |
3,685 |
-266 |
-7% |
50 to 54 |
7,565 |
7,339 |
-226 |
-3% |
55 to 59 |
13,191 |
12,705 |
-486 |
-4% |
60 to 64 |
17,866 |
18,461 |
595 |
3% |
65 to 69 |
24,609 |
22,998 |
-1,611 |
-7% |
70 to 74 |
31,030 |
30,267 |
-763 |
-2% |
75 to 79 |
26,309 |
27,649 |
1,340 |
5% |
80 to 84 |
19,926 |
19,368 |
-558 |
-3% |
85 to 89 |
11,859 |
12,067 |
208 |
2% |
90 and over |
5,492 |
5,640 |
148 |
3% |
All ages |
169,599 |
167,918 |
-1,681 |
-1% |
There were increases in the number of registrations in males between 2019 and 2021 for the age groups 1 to 4, 15 to 19, 40 to 44, 60 to 64, 75 to 59 and, 85 and older, with an average increase of 4%. For all other age groups in males, there was an average decrease in registrations between 2019 and 2021 of 4%. Over all ages, the average number of registrations in males fell by 1% between 2019 and 2021.
There were decreases in the number of registrations in females between 2019 and 2021 for the age groups 5 to 9, 15 to 29 and 40 to 44, with an average fall of 11%. For all other age groups in females, there was an average increase in registrations between 2019 and 2021 of 4%. Over all ages, the average number of registrations in females increased by 3% between 2019 and 2021.
Table 4: Change in the number of all cancers diagnosed for females between 2019 and 2021 by age, England
Age group |
Diagnoses registered in 2019 |
Diagnoses registered in 2021 |
Change in the number of diagnoses registered |
Proportionate change in the number of diagnoses registered |
Under 1 |
61 |
67 |
6 |
10% |
1 to 4 |
225 |
230 |
5 |
2% |
5 to 9 |
166 |
146 |
-20 |
-12% |
10 to 14 |
199 |
219 |
20 |
10% |
15 to 19 |
306 |
290 |
-16 |
-5% |
20 to 24 |
569 |
503 |
-66 |
-12% |
25 to 29 |
1,316 |
1,176 |
-140 |
-11% |
30 to 34 |
2,284 |
2,300 |
16 |
1% |
35 to 39 |
3,474 |
3,576 |
102 |
3% |
40 to 44 |
4,750 |
5,063 |
313 |
7% |
45 to 49 |
7,966 |
7,033 |
-933 |
-12% |
50 to 54 |
11,653 |
11,830 |
177 |
2% |
55 to 59 |
13,790 |
14,712 |
922 |
7% |
60 to 64 |
15,620 |
16,787 |
1,167 |
7% |
65 to 69 |
18,314 |
18,799 |
485 |
3% |
70 to 74 |
22,144 |
22,336 |
192 |
1% |
75 to 79 |
19,032 |
20,667 |
1,635 |
9% |
80 to 84 |
16,911 |
17,090 |
179 |
1% |
85 to 89 |
11,707 |
11,781 |
74 |
1% |
90 and over |
7,088 |
7,142 |
54 |
1% |
All ages |
157,575 |
161,747 |
4,172 |
3% |
Last edited: 16 May 2024 8:58 am