A new health forecast has revealed that one in two people in the UK will develop cancer.
One In Two People To Develop Cancer Says New Report
Cancer Research UK has released the alarming new figures that will affect those who were from the early 1960s onwards.
The rise in these numbers is comes from longer life expectancy, as cancer becomes more likely the older we get. However, over the last forty years UK cancer survival rates have doubled with more and more people overcoming the disease to live over ten years.
But while the fight against cancer has vastly improved, the new forecast did come with a warning for the NHS. The new report highlighted that NHS cancer services would have to be better supported if they were to meet what will be a growing need.
Speaking to the Express, oncologist Dr Peter Kirkbride, medical director of Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust on Merseyside said: "We are living longer and cancer is more common as you get older.
"Our lifestyles have changed over the past few years and we have inflicted a lot of cancers on ourselves. It used to be smoking, smoking, smoking. These days it's smoking, smoking and obesity that is directly related to cancer.
"The problem with the NHS is that demand is increasing when supply can't keep pace. We need to take a long hard look at how we spend money in the health service but, as a population, it is fundamental we look at how we live our lives."
It was believed that one in three people would develop cancer, but that figure has now been altered because of this study.
While old age plays a major part in the development of cancer, our lifestyle such as obesity, diet, smoking, lack of exercise and tanning/sunburn will also play a major part in the rise in cancer cases.
The new report shows that the lifetime risk for men is 53.5%, which is great then the lifetime risk for women, which is at 47.5%.