Half of UK population 'will get cancer in lifetime'

[Northerner]

The number of people in the UK who will get cancer during their lifetime will increase to nearly half the population by 2020, a report has forecast.

Macmillan Cancer Support said the projected figure of 47% would put huge pressure on the NHS.

Yet those who do develop cancer will be less likely to die from the disease, the charity predicted.

The Department of Health wants the NHS to save an extra 5,000 lives a year among cancer patients by 2014-15.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-22796220

 

[FM001]

Frightening, 40 years ago you would hardly hear of anyone getting cancer, now everyone will know a neighbour, friend, family member who has fought and died of cancer, is it the air we breath, food we eat, food packaging, chemicals we use in the home

 

[Copepod]

In a way, it's a success story - people are surviving long enough to get cancer, sometimes long enough to be completely cured of one cancer, clear for many years, then getting another cancer later. It's not just one disease - each organ / gland is different, and within each organ / gland etc there are many type of cells, most of which can get their own cancer.

There's a difference between dying with cancer and dying of cancer - particularly regarding prostate cancer in men - almost all very old men have cancer in their prostate glands when they die, but it's not what killed them.