The death rate for people under 75 from cancer has fallen steadily over the past decade, according to figures published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre. Statistics show that, across England, cancer has remained the top cause of death among under-75s but that the cancer death rate in this age group fell by 14.7% between 2003 and 2013.
For every 100,000 people in England aged 74 and younger, 142 died from cancer in 2013 compared to 166 in 2003. The report also includes regional analysis which shows that the fall observed nationally has not been reflected across the country. Out of the 326 local authority areas used in the report, the death rate from cancer among under-75s fell in 298 areas and rose in 24. Looking at the local authority areas, the largest fall in the death rate over the decade was 39.1% (from 156.9 to 95.6 per 100,000 residents), which was recorded in Spelthorne in the South West region. The largest increase was 29.5% (from 149.3 to 193.3 per 100,000 residents), which was observed in Copeland in the North West of England.
For both men and women, the first and second common forms of cancer leading to death were cancers of the digestive organs and cancers of the respiratory and intrathoracic organs. For men the third most common form was cancers of the genital organs and for women it was breast cancer.
