What is the most common form of cancer

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American Indian and Alaska Native
Asian and Pacific Islander
Health disparities

Medically reviewed by Teresa Hagan Thomas PHD, BA, RN — By Jenna Fletcher on January 13, 2022

Most common
Ranking
Males
Females
Race
Summary

There are several types of cancers, which doctors typically define based on what tissue they start in and what part of the body the cancer primarily affects. Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer, followed by lung and prostate cancers.

Though cancer can start in any area of the body, the prevalence rate of different cancers varies. Certain cancers occur much more frequently than others.

In some cases, a person’s sex or race can increase the likelihood that they will develop certain types of cancer in their lifetime.

Controllable factors, such as smoking, can also affect a person’s risk for developing certain cancers.

This article reviews the most common types of cancer overall as well as the most common cancers based on sex and race.

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According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), in order for a cancer to qualify as a common type, the incidence rate in 2021 had to be at least 40,000.

Based on the NCI’s estimates, the most common cancer type in 2021 was breast cancer, with an estimated 284,200 new cases expected.

The next most common types include both prostate and lung cancers.

The following table provides a ranking of some of the most common cancer types. It also provides numbers for the most recent estimates of new cases and the 5-year relative survival rate.

A relative survival rate helps give an idea of how long a person with a particular condition may live after receiving a diagnosis compared with those without the condition.

For example, if the 5-year relative survival rate is 70%, it means that a person with the condition is 70% as likely as someone without the condition to live for 5 years.

It is important to remember that these figures are estimates. A person can consult a healthcare professional about how their condition is going to affect them.

Certain cancers affect people assigned male at birth more than others.

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), some cancers that most often affect males include:

The following tables list the top 10 cancers that affect people based on their race, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

White

The table below lists the top 10 cancers to affect white people.

Black

The table below lists the top 10 cancers to affect Black people.

American Indian and Alaska Native

The table below lists the top 10 cancers to affect American Indian and Alaskan Native people.

Asian and Pacific Islander

The table below lists the top 10 cancers to affect Asian and Pacific Islander people.

Hispanic

The table below lists the top 10 cancers to affect Hispanic people.

Health disparities

Though every person has a risk of developing cancer, a person’s race can play a role in the prevalence and overall risk of death from cancer.

According to a 2017 study, researchers noted that when comparing the population worldwide, people with African ancestry have a higher chance of developing cancer than other races and ethnicities across the world.

Reasons for this include racial disparities in healthcare and socioeconomic disparities. For example, 1 in 3 Black women state that they have experienced racial discrimination during a visit to a doctor. This can lead to a mistrust in healthcare professionals.

The authors of the 2017 study also noted that people with Hispanic heritage often have similar socioeconomic and cultural trends but lower overall cancer rates.

This led them to look more closely at the role of genes and biological factors as risk factors for cancer as well. They noted that some of the factors that increase a Black person’s chances of chronic inflammation and obesity may also increase their chances of developing cancer.

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Anyone can develop cancer, though some people have an increased risk of developing certain cancers based on their race and sex. The most common cancers include breast, prostate, lung, and colorectal cancers.

Race plays a role in cancer development as well as prognosis. People with African ancestry generally have a higher risk of developing cancers than other races.

Last medically reviewed on January 13, 2022

More than half of new cases of cancer are breast, prostate, lung or bowel cancer, 2015-2017, UK.

More than half of new cases of cancer in males are prostate, lung or bowel cancer, 2015-2017, UK.

More than half of new cases of cancer in females are breast, lung or bowel cancer, 2015-2017, UK.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK, accounting for 3 in 20 (15%) of all cases in females and males combined (2016-2018).[1-4] The next most common cancers in UK people are prostate (14%), lung (13%), and bowel (11%). Though there are more than 200 types of cancer, just these four types - breast, prostate, lung and bowel - together account for more than half (53%) of all new cases in the UK (2016-2018).[1-4] The two most common cancer types occur mainly or exclusively in only one sex.

The 20 Most Common Cancers, UK, 2016-2018

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This chart excludes non-melanoma skin cancer because of known under-reporting. Data in this chart do not sum to the all cancers combined total provided elsewhere, because 'brain, other CNS (central nervous system) and intracranial tumours' includes tumours that are malignant, and non-malignant but only the malignant tumours are included in 'all cancers combined' total.

Data is for UK, 2016-2018, ICD-10 C00-C97 excl. C44.

Data was not available for Wales in 2018 for ICD-10 D32-D33, D35.2-D35.4, D42-D43, D44.3-D44.5, therefore the 2018 data was extrapolated using the 2017 figures.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in UK males, accounting for more than a quarter (27%) of male cases (2016-2018).[1-4] The next most common cancers in UK males are lung cancer (13%) and bowel cancer (12%). Prostate, lung and bowel cancers together account for more than half (53%) of all new cases in males in the UK. One of the ten most common cancers in males is sex-specific (prostate), compared with two of the ten most common cancers in females (uterus and ovary). Head and neck, bladder, oesophageal cancers and leukaemia, are among the UK ten most common cancers in males, but not in females.

The Three Most Common Cancers in Males, Percentages of All Cancer Cases Excluding Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer (C00-C97 excl. C44), UK, 2016-2018

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This chart excludes non-melanoma skin cancer because of known under-reporting.

The Ten Most Common Cancers in Males, Annual Average Numbers of New Cases, UK, 2016-2018

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This chart excludes non-melanoma skin cancer because of known under-reporting.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in UK females, accounting for almost a third (30%) of all female cases (2016-2018).[1-4] The next most common cancers in UK females are lung cancer (13%) and bowel cancer (10%). Breast, lung and bowel cancers together account for over half (54%) of all new cases in females in the UK. Two of the ten most common cancers in females are sex-specific (uterus and ovary), compared with one of the ten most common cancers in males (prostate). Breast, brain, other CNS and intracranial tumours and pancreatic cancer are among the ten most common cancers in females, but not in males.

The Three Most Common Cancers in Females, Percentages of All Cancer Cases Excluding Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer (C00-C97 excl. C44), UK, 2016-2018

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This chart excludes non-melanoma skin cancer because of known under-reporting.

The Ten Most Common Cancers in Females, Annual Average Numbers of New Cases, UK, 2016-2018

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This chart excludes non-melanoma skin cancer because of known under-reporting. Data in this chart do not sum to the all cancers combined total provided elsewhere, because 'brain, other CNS (central nervous system) and intracranial' includes tumours that are malignant and non-malignant but only the malignant tumours are included in 'all cancers combined' total.

Data is for UK, 2016-2018, ICD-10 C00-C97 excl. C44.

Data was not available for Wales in 2018 for ICD-10 D32-D33, D35.2-D35.4, D42-D43, D44.3-D44.5, therefore the 2018 data was extrapolated using the 2017 figures.

Incidence trends over the last decade in the UK vary by cancer type and sex.[1-4] For most cancer types, incidence trends largely reflect changing prevalence of risk factors and improvements in diagnosis and data recording. Recent incidence trends are influenced by risk factor prevalence in years past.

Thyroid cancer has shown the fastest increase in incidence over the past decade in the UK in females (65%) and males (68%), followed by liver cancer (38% in females and 46% in males), within the current 20 most common UK cancers in females and males. In females, kidney cancer, melanoma skin cancer, and head and neck cancers have shown the next-fastest increases in incidence. In males, melanoma skin cancer, kidney cancer and Hodgkin lymphoma have shown the next-fastest increases in incidence.

Cancer of unknown primary has shown the fastest decrease in incidence over the past decade in the UK in females (34%) and males (33%), followed by stomach cancer (29% in females and 33% in males), within the current 20 most common UK cancers in females and males.

For lung and oesophageal cancers, the incidence trend differs between the sexes. In females lung cancer incidence has increased, while in males it has decreased. In females, oesophageal cancer incidence has decreased, while in males it has remained stable.

The 20 Most Common Cancers 2018, Percentage Change in European Age-Standardised Three Year Average Incidence Rates, Females, UK, 2006-2008 and 2016-2018

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The 20 Most Common Cancers 2018, Percentage Change in European Age-Standardised Three Year Average Incidence Rates, Males, UK, 2006-2008 and 2016-2018

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Data is for UK, 2006-2008 and 2016-2018 ICD-10 codes All cancers excluding non-melanoma skin cancer (C00-C97 excl. C44), Bladder (C67), Bowel (C18-C20), Brain, Other CNS and Intracranial Tumours (C70-C72, C75.1-C75.3, D32-D33, D35.2-D35.4, D42-D43, D44.3-D44.5), Breast (C50), Cancer of Unknown Primary (C77-80), Cervix (C53), Head and Neck (C00-C14, C30-C32), Hodgkin Lymphoma (C81), Kidney (C64-C66,C68), Leukaemia (C91-C95), Liver (C22), Lung (C33-C34), Melanoma Skin Cancer (C43), Mesothelioma (C45), Myeloma (C90), Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (C82-C86), Oesophagus (C15), Ovary (C56-C57.4), Pancreas (C25), Prostate (C61), Stomach (C16), Testis (C62), Thyroid (C73) and Uterus (C54-C55).

Incidence rates are projected to rise for most types of cancer in the UK between 2014 and 2035.[1] Among cancer types with rising rates, the size of the overall increase between 2014 and 2035 ranges from 2% (breast cancer) to 74% (thyroid cancer).

For a smaller number of cancer types, incidence rates are projected to fall in the UK between 2014 and 2035. Among cancer types with falling rates, the size of the overall decrease between 2014 and 2035 ranges from 2% (non-Hodgkin lymphoma) to 53% (mesothelioma).

These projections reflect past trends in cancer incidence. They do not model the possible impact of current or future changes which may increase or decrease cancer incidence. For cervical cancer and other HPV-related cancers (pharyngeal, anal, vulval, penile, vaginal, and oral cavity), HPV vaccination is expected to substantially decrease future incidence.[2,3]

Selected Cancers, Number of New Cases and European Age-Standardised Incidence Rates, Males, UK, 1979, 2014 and 2035

	Age-standardised Rate (per 100,000)	Cases
Cancer site	1979 (Observed)	2014 (Observed)	2035 (Projected)	% Change 2014-2035	1979 (Observed)	2014 (Observed)	2035 (Projected)	% Change 2014-2035
Anus	1.08	1.84	2.18	18.24	160.66	434	684.68	57.76
Bladder	52.12	33.92	21.07	-37.88	7433.60	7301	7531.11	3.15
Bone	1.16	1.01	0.69	-31.35	217.49	256	216.77	-15.33
Bowel	89.64	102.38	86.92	-15.10	12647.73	22827	29356.10	28.60
Brain	12.68	21.08	22.11	4.87	2430.14	5036	6884.30	36.70
Hodgkin Lymphoma	4.03	4.48	4.87	8.86	827.71	1148	1479.68	28.89
Kidney	11.92	34.18	43.88	28.38	1915.17	7778	14258.84	83.32
Larynx	10.21	8.36	6.52	-22.04	1600.86	1920	2099.54	9.35
Leukaemia	17.25	24.14	25.59	6.00	2484.05	5425	8714.08	60.63
Liver	4.46	16.21	23.23	43.27	679.33	3636	7769.55	113.68
Lung	209.80	112.25	97.06	-13.54	32086.76	24767	32874.81	32.74
Melanoma Skin	4.37	33.28	35.42	6.46	785.55	7715	11897.43	54.21
Mesothelioma	1.53	10.54	4.75	-54.98	271.10	2289	1753.23	-23.41
Myeloma	7.82	13.76	15.52	12.76	1163.13	3072	5228.66	70.20
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma	11.83	32.45	31.56	-2.75	1960.15	7440	10489.40	40.99
Oesophagus	16.41	26.67	25.07	-6.00	2367.11	6019	8365.78	38.99
Oral	12.69	21.38	28.40	32.84	1832.40	5124	8675.81	69.32
Pancreas	25.18	21.71	23.18	6.75	3527.22	4833	7874.14	62.92
Prostate	80.61	208.01	232.54	11.79	9622.24	46689	77348.83	65.67
Stomach	56.85	19.80	15.27	-22.90	8081.66	4353	5220.27	19.92
Testis	3.88	8.88	9.97	12.30	878.64	2406	2920.80	21.40
Thyroid	1.15	3.91	6.93	77.43	201.69	964	2089.44	116.75
Other	52.06	47.87	49.78	3.98	7774.71	10659	16527.69	55.06
All cancer sites	688.75	808.13	812.52	0.54	100949.07	182091	270260.90	48.42

Selected Cancers, Number of New Cases and European Age-Standardised Incidence Rates, Females, UK, 1979, 2014 and 2035

	Age-standardised Rate (per 100,000)	Cases
Cancer site	1979 (Observed)	2014 (Observed)	2035 (Projected)	% Change 2014-2035	1979 (Observed)	2014 (Observed)	2035 (Projected)	% Change 2014-2035
Anus	0.95	3.27	5.11	56.34	196.29	873	1748.81	100.32
Bladder	13.33	9.94	6.87	-30.95	2827.49	2756	2855.27	3.60
Bone	0.75	0.86	1.06	24.16	171.14	235	351.39	49.53
Bowel	66.96	67.67	63.22	-6.58	13914.00	18401	24289.91	32.00
Brain	10.24	20.44	21.97	7.50	2247.83	5489	7397.15	34.76
Breast	116.94	204.93	209.51	2.24	24493.43	54833	71022.04	29.52
Cervix	20.30	11.81	16.85	42.68	4391.37	3223	4792.35	48.69
Hodgkin Lymphoma	2.52	3.21	3.17	-1.05	594.73	881	993.46	12.77
Kidney	5.50	17.27	20.42	18.21	1172.13	4634	7473.54	61.28
Larynx	1.68	1.48	1.45	-2.14	360.06	389	498.93	28.26
Leukaemia	9.22	13.15	13.01	-1.10	1933.73	3566	5043.55	41.43
Liver	1.88	6.87	8.32	21.02	402.84	1884	3363.86	78.55
Lung	45.27	80.94	80.46	-0.59	9764.50	21633	29957.38	38.48
Melanoma Skin	6.95	28.64	30.40	6.14	1490.95	7698	10277.73	33.51
Mesothelioma	0.39	1.60	0.86	-45.98	83.92	428	362.64	-15.27
Myeloma	5.22	9.00	9.61	6.76	1119.37	2428	3659.35	50.71
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma	8.05	22.67	21.92	-3.32	1736.08	6069	8131.89	33.99
Oesophagus	9.43	10.62	10.77	1.44	1956.08	2900	4291.51	47.98
Oral	4.95	9.61	12.71	32.24	1033.77	2556	4384.60	71.54
Ovary	23.06	27.67	31.89	15.23	4941.26	7367	10500.59	42.54
Pancreas	15.54	17.60	18.38	4.47	3259.36	4783	7282.64	52.26
Stomach	27.44	8.48	7.72	-8.92	5675.25	2329	3061.72	31.46
Thyroid	2.95	9.01	15.68	74.07	643.73	2424	4749.60	95.94
Uterus	20.67	35.51	33.09	-6.84	4421.24	9323	11576.13	24.17
Other	42.71	42.00	40.89	-2.62	8978.67	11540	15623.74	35.39
All cancer sites	462.91	664.27	685.37	3.18	97809.21	178642	243689.80	36.41

Thyroid cancer has the fastest-increasing projected incidence rates in both males and females, rising by more than 2% per year on average between 2015 and 2035.

The Five Cancers with the Highest Average Annual Percentage Change in European Age-Standardised Incidence Rates, Males, UK, 2015-2035

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The Five Cancers with the Highest Average Annual Percentage Change in European Age-Standardised Incidence Rates, Females, UK, 2015-2035

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Smittenaar CR, Petersen KA, Stewart K, Moitt N. Cancer Incidence and Mortality Projections in the UK Until 2035. Brit J Cancer 2016.
Castanon A, Landy R, Pesola F, Windridge P, Sasieni P. Prediction of cervical cancer incidence in England, UK, up to 2040, under four scenarios: a modelling study. Lancet Public Health 2018;3(1):e34-e43.
Johnson HC, Lafferty EI, Eggo RM, Louie K, Soldan K, Waller J, Edmunds WJ. Effect of HPV vaccination and cervical cancer screening in England by ethnicity: a modelling study. Lancet Public Health 2018;3(1):e44-e51.

Data is for: UK, 1979-2014 (observed), 2015-2035 (projected). ICD-10 codes all cancers combined C00-C97 excluding C44, plus D32-D33, D35.2-D35.4, D42-D43, D44.3-D44.5; anal C21; bladder C67; bone sarcoma C40-C41; bowel C18-C20; brain C70-C72, C75.1-C75.3, D32-D33, D35.2-D35.4, D42-D43, D44.3-D44.5; breast C50; cervical C53; Hodgkin lymphoma C81; kidney C64-C66, C68; laryngeal C32; leukaemia C91-C95; liver C22; lung C33-C34; malignant melanoma C43; mesothelioma C45; myeloma C90; non-Hodgkin lymphoma C82-C85; oesophageal C15; oral C00-C06, C09-C10, C12-C14; ovarian C56-C57.4; pancreatic C25; prostate C61; stomach C16; testicular C62; thyroid C73; uterine C54-C55.

Projections are based on observed incidence and mortality rates and therefore implicitly include changes in cancer risk factors, diagnosis and treatment. The definition of "all cancer types/sites combined" used here differs from that typically used in incidence statistics on this website: benign and uncertain or unknown behaviour brain, other central nervous system and intracranial tumours (D32-D33, D35.2-D35.4, D42-D43, D44.3-D44.5) are included here. It is not possible to assess the statistical significance of changes between 2014 (observed) and 2035 (projected) figures. Confidence intervals are not calculated for the projected figures. Projections are by their nature uncertain because unexpected events in future could change the trend. It is not sensible to calculate a boundary of uncertainty around these already uncertain point estimates. Changes are described as "increase" "decrease" if there is any difference between the point estimates.

More on projections methodology

Cancer incidence rates (European age-standardised (AS) rates

) in England are higher in the most deprived quintile compared with the least, for most cancer types (2013-2017).[1] The deprivation gap in cancer incidence is generally largest for smoking-related cancer types, reflecting longstanding higher smoking prevalence in more deprived groups.[2]

For a small group of cancer types, incidence rates are higher in the least deprived quintile compared with the most. This reflects higher exposure to some risk factors in less deprived groups: more sun exposure (related to melanoma skin cancer);[3] later first pregnancy, lower parity and higher postmenopausal hormone use (related to female breast cancer).[4] It also reflects higher uptake of breast screening and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing in less deprived groups.[5,6]

Percentage Difference in European Age-Standardised Incidence Rates per 100,000 Population Between Most and Least Deprived Quintiles, Females, England, 2013-2017

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This chart includes only cancer types with a statistically significant difference in age-standardised rates between most and least deprived quintiles.

Percentage Difference in European Age-Standardised Incidence Rates per 100,000 Population Between Most and Least Deprived Quintiles, Males, England, 2013-2017

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It is estimated that each year in England there are around 27,200 more cases of cancer types where incidence rates are higher in more deprived quintiles, than there would be if incidence rates in all deprivation quintiles matched those of the least deprived quintile. The corresponding figure for the UK – based on the England figures above, plus devolved nations data – is around 33,800.[1,7-9] Lung cancer is by far the largest contributor to these excess cases, reflecting the high incidence of this cancer type overall, and the large difference in lung cancer incidence between the most and least deprived quintiles.

The number of excess cases is partly offset by those cancer types where incidence rates are lower in more deprived quintiles: for those cancer types it is estimated that each year in England there are around 10,700 fewer cases than there would be if incidence rates in all deprivation quintiles matched those of the least deprived quintile. The corresponding figure for the UK is around 11,900.[1,7-9] The cancer types contributing most of this total are melanoma skin cancer, prostate cancer, and female breast cancer.

These figures are calculated as the sum of cases observed, minus the sum of cases expected if every deprivation quintile had the same age-specific crude incidence rates (age-specific crude rates for England, age-standardised rates all ages combined for Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland) as the least deprived quintile. Only cancer types with a statistically significant difference in age-standardised rates between most and least deprived quintiles are included in these figures.

Calculated by the Cancer Intelligence Team at Cancer Research UK, April 2020. Based on method reported in National Cancer Intelligence Network Cancer by Deprivation in England Incidence, 1996-2010 Mortality, 1997-2011. Using cancer incidence data 2013-2017 (Public Health England) and population data 2013-2017 (Office for National Statistics) by Indices of Multiple Deprivation 2015 income domain quintile, cancer type, sex, and five-year age band.
Jefferis BJMH, Power C, Graham H, Manor O. Changing Social Gradients in Cigarette Smoking and Cessation Over Two Decades of Adult Follow-Up in a British Birth Cohort. J Public Health (Oxf) 2004;26(1):13-8.
Suppa M, Gandini S, Bulliard JL, et al. Who, Why, Where: An Overview of Determinants of Sunbed Use in Europe. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2019;33 Suppl 2:6-12.
Lundqvist A, Andersson E, Ahlberg I, Nilbert M, Gerdtham U. Socioeconomic Inequalities in Breast Cancer Incidence and Mortality in Europe-a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Eur J Public Health 2016;26(5):804-813.
Smith D, Thomson K, Bambra C, Todd A. The Breast Cancer Paradox: A Systematic Review of the Association Between Area-Level Deprivation and Breast Cancer Screening Uptake in Europe. Cancer Epidemiol 2019;60:77-85.
Littlejohns TJ, Travis RC, Key TJ, Allen NE. Lifestyle Factors and Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Testing in UK Biobank: Implications for Epidemiological Research. Cancer Epidemiol 2016;45:40-46.
Information Services Division Scotland. Cancer Statistics. Available from: https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Cancer/Cancer-Statistics/
Welsh Cancer Intelligence Surveillance Unit: Cancer Incidence in Wales, 2001-2017. Available from: https://phw.nhs.wales/services-and-teams/welsh-cancer-intelligence-and-surveillance-unit-wcisu/
Northern Ireland Cancer Registry. Cancer Information. Available from: https://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/nicr/CancerInformation/official-statistics/

Data is for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland 2013-2017, ICD-10 C00-C97 Excl. C44.

The European age-standardised incidence rates

differ significantly between UK constituent countries for several cancer types. Such differences are often due to variation in data recording (e.g. definitions of recordable tumour types), risk factor prevalence (e.g. cigarette smoking rates), or diagnostic activity (e.g. screening uptake rates). Between-country variation is discussed on the types of cancer pages.

The four most common cancers are the same in all the UK constituent countries – breast, prostate, lung, and bowel cancers.[1-4] The order of these four varies between countries. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in all the UK countries except Scotland, where lung cancer is most common.