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Cancer death rates are 60% higher for people living in the most deprived areas of the UK compared with those in more affluent areas, according to new analysis.
There are 28,400 extra cancer deaths across the UK each year due to deprivation, the equivalent of 78 additional deaths every day, Cancer Research UK found.
For all cancers combined in the UK, mortality rates are almost 1.6x higher in people living in the most deprived areas compared with the least (337 deaths per 100,000 against 217 deaths).
Almost half (47%) of these were caused by lung cancer, where the death rate was almost three times higher in the most deprived areas.
About one in 10 of all cancer diagnoses in the UK are linked to deprivation, according to the report.
The charity also revealed disparities in regards to cancer care, such as patients living in the most deprived areas of England being up to a third more likely to wait more than 104 days for treatment after an urgent referral, and over 50% more likely to be diagnosed with cancer through presenting symptoms as an emergency.
The report said that smoking is the biggest cause of cancer in the UK, with rates in the poorest parts of the country at least triple those in the wealthiest.
Dr Ian Walker, executive director of policy and information at Cancer Research UK, said: “No one should be at a greater risk of dying from this devastating disease simply because of where they live. These figures are shocking and unacceptable – but crucially, they’re avoidable.
“People from more deprived areas are being diagnosed too late. Improving access to NHS services through funding and innovation will be vital, so that those who seek help get the care they deserve.
“The UK government’s recently announced national cancer plan for England is a crucial opportunity to look at the big picture on cancer inequalities, and provide the investment that cancer services everywhere desperately need.”
Karis Betts, Cancer Research UK’s inequalities programme lead, said: “Sustainably funding support to help people stop smoking will avoid so many cancer cases in deprived areas. But we also need new and better ways to diagnose cancer at an early stage, like targeted lung screening, which is proven to help save lives in at-risk communities.
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“It’s vital that this is fully rolled out across England, followed by all four UK nations.”
Prof Peter Johnson, NHS national clinical director for cancer, said: “NHS staff are working hard to ensure that everyone affected by cancer receives a prompt diagnosis and treatment, and initiatives such as our targeted lung check have been especially helpful for people in deprived areas who are at greater risk of cancer, so that if they have lung cancer it is now being diagnosed at a much earlier stage.
“We recognise there is still much more to do to ensure that everyone receives a timely diagnosis and treatment, and are seeing record numbers come forward for urgent checks, with suspected cancer referrals more than doubling in the last decade, a narrowing of the gap between the most and least well-off, and cancer survival rates have never been higher.
“The NHS is fully committed to improving access to cancer care and recently confirmed the Faster Diagnosis Standard target is to be increased, to see around 100,000 more patients receive a diagnosis or the all-clear within four weeks next year.”
