England's cancer care blackspots revealed with death rates 70% higher in some places

12 December 2023, 11:11 | Updated: 12 December 2023, 11:19

By Kieran Kelly

@kellyjourno

Brits living in the poorest parts of the UK are 70 per cent more likely to die from cancer, a new study has found.

Cities in the north of England, including Manchester, Liverpool and Hull, have the highest cancer death rates, while London has the lowest.

According to the research, lifestyle factors could be a factor in the higher rates, which are linked to consumption of alcohol, cigarettes, as well as obesity.

Poor screening update and diagnosis delays have also been named as potential causes for higher cancer rates.

There was some positivity to come out of the study, which shows death rates from the majority of cancers have fallen, though have risen for liver and pancreatic cancer.

"Although our study brings the good news that the overall risk of dying from cancer has decreased across all English districts in the last 20 years, it also highlights the astounding inequality in cancer deaths in different districts around England," lead author professor Majid Ezzati, of Imperial College London, said.

See a full list below.

The most affected areas - men

Risk of men dying from cancer before 80:

Highest risk

Manchester 22.1 per cent

Kingston upon Hull, City of 21.7 per cent

Liverpool 21.7 per cent

Middlesbrough 21.3 per cent

Blackpool 21.1 per cent

Knowsley 21.1 per cent

South Tyneside 21.1 per cent

Stoke-on-Trent 20.9 per cent

Burnley 20.7 per cent

Halton 20.7 per cent

Lowest risk

Woking 14 per cent

Mole Valley 13.9 per cent

Waverley 13.9 per cent

Epsom and Ewell 13.6 per cent

Elmbridge 13.4 per cent

City of London 13.1 per cent

Kensington and Chelsea 13 per cent

Barnet 12.9 per cent

Westminster 12.7 per cent

Harrow 12.2 per cent

Read More: Labour's Streeting says NHS uses winters to get more cash out of government as he vaunts Singapore

Read More: Health Sec says NHS strikes must end to slash waiting lists and meet key Sunak pledge

The most affected areas - women

Risk of women dying from cancer before 80:

Highest risk

Manchester 17 per cent

Middlesbrough 16.7 per cent

Knowsley 16.7 per cent

Kingston upon Hull, City of 16.6 per cent

Liverpool 16.5 per cent

Stoke-on-Trent 16 per cent

Hartlepool 15.9 per cent

Salford 15.8 per cent

Sunderland 15.8 per cent

Halton 15.7 per cent

Lowest risk

City of London 11 per cent

New Forest 10.9 per cent

Waverley 10.8 per cent

Camden 10.8 per cent

Isles of Scilly 10.5 per cent

Barnet 10.4 per cent

Brent 10.4 per cent

Harrow 10.3 per cent

Kensington and Chelsea 10.2 per cent

Westminster 10.1 per cent