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Cancer

There are over 200 different types of cancer, each with its own risk factors, methods of diagnosis and treatment. Some of the known causes of cancer are excessive alcohol consumption, exposure to asbestos, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, being overweight or obese, being exposed to natural and man-made radiation, smoking and tobacco use, ultraviolet light (including sun exposure and use of sun beds), and viruses such as human papilloma virus (HPV).

Key findings

Prevalence

Prevalence refers to the number of cases of a disease that are present in a particular population at a given time. In the case of cancer, the prevalence data are from the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) disease registers, while the reported cancer figure is from the GP Patient Survey.

  • The latest figures (2024/25) indicate that there are 81,027 (4.3%) known cases of cancer across the NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board footprint (L&SC ICB), which includes Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Westmorland and Furness, and Cumberland, significantly above England (3.8%). Trend data show this is increasing.

  • The percentage of people reporting cancer in the last five years across the L&SC ICB (2024) is 3.6%, England (3.4%), which is in the middle quintile for ICBs across England.

Incidence and admissions

Incidence refers to the total number of new confirmed (diagnosed) cases of a disease, in a population at a given period of time. For cancer, the data are all new diagnoses of malignant cancer (ICD10 C00-C97), excluding skin cancers other than malignant melanoma, from the National Cancer Registration Service. 

  • There were 11,377 new cases of cancer across the L&SC ICB footprint in 2023/24, giving a rate of 614 per 100,000. This is higher compared to England (557) and, as with prevalence, the incidence rate trend data show this is increasing.

  • There were 8,487 emergency admissions with cancer (2024/25) in L&SC ICB, a rate of 454 per 100,000 vs 518 per 100,000 for England.

  • In 2024/25 L&SC ICB had 105.711 urgent suspected cancer referrals (rate of 5,656 which is higher than observed for England - 4,899) trend data show this is increasing. In the same period 6.1% of these referrals resulted in a cancer diagnosis (6,403 diagnoses), which is similar to England's conversion rate of 6.0%, trend data show that the conversion rate is declining.

  • In Lancashire-12 53.6% of cancers were diagnosed at stages 1 and 2 (2022) which is significantly lower than the England proportions (56.8%). This varies across the districts Hyndburn (48.0%), Rossendale (48.6%), Burnley (48.7%), West Lancashire (49.5%), Lancaster (50.1%) are significantly worse than England whilst in South Ribble the proportion was significantly better than England (62.9%). In Blackburn with Darwen 49% of cancers were diagnosed at stage 1 or 2 (worse than England) whilst in Blackpool 55.8% were (similar to England).

All-age mortality

The rates below are directly standardised and are for 100,000 of the population (all ages) for 2022-24 unless otherwise stated.

Mortality figures for 2025 are provisional.

  • In the Lancashire-12 area the mortality rate from cancer for the period 2023-25 is 246.5 people per 100,000  which is similar to the England rate (242.3) whilst in Blackpool (311.0) and Blackburn with Darwen (282.9) it is significantly higher.

  • In the Lancashire districts mortality rates for cancer (2023-25) are significantly higher than England in Burnley (292.7), Hyndburn (287.8), Lancaster (261.1), and Chorley (259.7) whilst the are significantly lower in Fyle (219.2), South Ribble (217.7) and Ribble Valley (199.3).

  • Mortality rates in Lancashire-12 (L12) were worse than England (E) for lung cancer (L=53.5, E=46.4) and oesophageal cancer (L12=13.7, E=11.4).

  • Mortality rates in Lancashire were similar to England for colorectal cancers (L12=26.3, E=25.5), liver cancer (L12=9.4, E=9.2), prostate cancer (L12=40.1, E=43.0), and bladder cancer (L12=9.0, E=8.6).

  • Mortality rates were better/lower in Lancashire than England for breast cancer (L12=26.4, E=30.3), leukaemia and lymphoma (L= 17.8, E=20.3), and stomach cancer (L=4.4, E=5.2).

  • 2,121 deaths were classed as 'smoking attributable deaths from cancer', giving the area a rate of 85.2 which is significantly higher than England (77.0). Blackpool (138.1) and Blackburn with Darwen (115.4) are also both significantly higher than England. 

Premature mortality

Reducing premature mortality - referred to as mortality in persons aged 74 or under - is a major priority for both the Office for Health Improvement & Disparities (OHID - formerly Public Health England) and the NHS, with many deaths caused by diseases and illnesses that are considered avoidable or preventable. The rates below are directly standardised and are for 100,000 of the population (under-75 years) for 2022-2024.

Mortality figures for 2025 are provisional.

  • There were 4,348 premature deaths from cancer across Lancashire-12 in 2023-25 resulting in a premature mortality rate (121.0) which is similar to the rate for England (117.7). 

  • Lancashire districts Burnley (147.9), Rossendale (135.4), Hyndburn (133.4), and Preston (131.9) all have significantly higher rates of premature mortality from cancer (2023-25) when compared to England. Meanwhile, Fylde (101.7) and Ribble Valley (91.1) have significantly lower rates.

  • The rate of premature mortality from cancer in Lancashire is statistically similar to England for both males (L12=135.7, E=130.3) and females (L12=107.0, E=106.0) but this varies across the districts, for example in Rossendale (167.6), Pendle (157.5), and Burnley (153.2) the mortality rate for males is worse than England, whilst it is worse than England for females in Burnley (143.2) and Hyndburn (129.6) (2023-25).

  • Lung cancer had significantly higher mortality rate when compared with England (28.2 for all persons, E=24.5) and for both sexes.

  • The rate of premature mortality from cancer considered preventable in Lancashire-12 (53.5) is significantly higher than England (48.6) the rate is higher than England for both males (L12=66.5, E=61.1) and females (L12=41.2, E=36.9).

  • Within the districts in Lancashire the rate of under 75 preventable mortality from cancer is significantly higher than England in Hyndburn (69.3), Burnley(69.1), Preston (63.3), Lancaster (61.4), and Pendle (60.3) whilst it is significantly lower in Ribble Valley (35.5).

  • Blackpool (58.4) and Blackburn with Darwen (69.1) also recorded rates significantly above England for premature mortality from cancer considered preventable with Blackpool's rate being the highest in the country (when ranked against all other county and unitary authorities).

The Mortality Dashboard shows the standardised mortality ratio (SMR) for all cancers for wards in Lancashire (2016-20).

OHID also produces the Cancer Services profiles for further details.

Please note, there have been changes in trends due to Covid-19 impacting on some activity. Please consider this when interpreting in particular 2020/21 figures and, to a smaller degree, 2019/20 results.

For additional county and unitary data and further information please see below. Please select the geography type to see what indicators are available as not all are provided across the different footprints.

Page updated July 2026