People in Devon are statistically the most likely in England to be diagnosed with cancer, according to newly published NHS data.
NHS England’s 2023 Cancer Services report recorded the area as having just over 9,000 new cancer cases, giving a rate of 716 new cases of the disease per 100,000 people, in one year.
This was more than double the rate in North East London which at 318 cancer cases per 100,000 people had the lowest rate of the disease in the country.
Nationally, England recorded over 340,000 new cancer cases between April 2022 and March 2023, a rate of 548 per 100,000 people, the latest available data.
This is the highest rate and number of diagnoses since 2009/10.
Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly came second, with 715 cases of the disease per 100,000 people, just shy of Devon.
Dorset joined the other two southwestern areas by coming third with 714 cancer cases per 100,000 people.
The lowest rates of cancer in the country were all seen in the north of London.
NHS England’s 2023 Cancer Services report recorded Devon as having just over 9,000 new cancer cases, giving a rate of 716 cases of the disease per 100,000 people. Pictured Exmouth in Devon
This chart shows the number of cancer cases per 100,000 in England over time. Cases took a massive dip during the height of the pandemic, this has been widely attributed to reduced cancer screening during lockdowns and overall disruption to regular NHS services during the height of Covid.
After the north east of the capital, the north west recorded 329 cancer cases per 100,000 people, followed by north central London at 363 cases per 100,000 people.
Experts told MailOnline the difference in cancer rates up and down the country is likely due to the demographic of people living in some areas, which makes them more at risk of developing cancer.
Professor Karol Sikora, a retired oncologist and former director of the World Health Organisation cancer programme, said: ‘It’s all in the age of the populations.
‘Towns on the south coast have a lot of older residents, who are at much higher risk of cancer, compared to urban areas like London which have a younger population.’
Cancer risk has been well established as being closely tied to age as damage in cells that can trigger the disease builds-up over time.
Data from Cancer Research UK shows Brits between the age of 50 and 74 account for just over half of new diagnoses of the disease each year.
Those aged over 75 account for a significant proportion of the remaining cases — just over a third.
And Brits between the ages of 85-89 are the most likely to get cancer.
Cancer rates for men this age are almost 3,500 per 100,000 people, while the rate for women is lower at about 2,250 per 100,000.
This isn’t to say cancer doesn’t occur in younger people.
While still in the minority, experts have been concerned about recent a rise of cancer cases in young people compared to historical levels, particularly in colon cancer.
Regardless of age, medics urge Brits to keep an eye out for symptoms of cancer such as a new, sudden, lump in the body, unexplained bleeding and changes to bowel habits.
Other signs of cancer vary by type of the disease but can include unexplained weight loss, a cough lasting three weeks or more, bloating, new or changing moles, stomach or back pain, yellow-ish skin and fatigue.
