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Which are the most common cancers?

In the UK the most common cancers are:

  • lung
  • breast
  • bowel (colorectal)
  • prostate
  • skin
  • bladder
  • stomach
  • oesophagus
  • pancreas.

Within certain age groups, some cancers are more common than others. For example, testicular cancer is not very common – but in men aged 20-40 it is the most common cancer.

Cancer in children is rare. It affects only 1 in 500 children under the age of 15. Children tend to get different types of cancer, hardly seen in adults. The most common children’s cancers are leukaemia and brain tumours.