The number of people with preventable cancer is expected to reach 184,000 this year, costing the economy £78 billion

The number of people developing preventable cancer will reach around 184,000 this year and cost the economy £78 billion, according to a study.

About 4 in 10 cancers are considered preventable because they are caused by drinking, smoking, obesity and exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays.

The number of preventable cancer cases is increasing every year, compared to around 155,000 in 2019/2020 – and will cost the country around 3.5 percent of GDP this year.

And the incidence of cancer will continue to increase as the population ages and factors such as obesity increase, the report warns.

If current trends continue, the total cost of all preventable cancers will be as much as £1.26 trillion over this period between 2023 and 2040.

The analysis from health consultancy Frontier Economics looks at five cost areas: individual, health, social care, family and carer, and productivity.

By 2023, the largest contribution to the total cost to the economy of £78 billion will be the loss of productivity and economic growth, amounting to £40 billion.

It also calculates that the cost to individuals is an estimated £30 billion in terms of loss of quality of life and income.

The cost to the NHS in terms of medical treatment for preventable cancer is around £3.7 billion, the study suggests.

The study shows that the overall economic impact is greatest for lung cancer (around £630,000 per case); similar for bowel, breast and other cancers (between £300,000 and £400,000 per case); and lowest for melanoma (around £135,000 per case).

Matthew Bell, director of Frontier Economics, said: ‘Experts estimate that almost 40 per cent of cancer cases in Britain are preventable, through actions such as reducing tobacco use, obesity and UV exposure.

‘Reducing the significant numbers of people with these cancers could be a central element in reducing some costs to the NHS, and even more significantly improving productivity, growth and the lives of countless people and their families.’

The study estimated that cancer rates will continue to increase, primarily due to population growth rather than changes in cancer incidence.

The study estimates that there will be approximately 226,000 new preventable cancer cases in 2040 (up from 184,000 in 2023), and that there will be a total of 3.7 million new preventable cancer cases between 2023 and 2040.

The total cost of all preventable cancers will reach a staggering £1.26 trillion between 2023 and 2040 if current trends continue

Michelle Mitchell, CEO of Cancer Research UK, comments: ‘This report is a stark reminder of the countless lives that can be saved by preventing cancer and a call to the UK Government that health prevention strategies are vital to reduce the pressure on our NHS and economy relief. .

‘If recent trends continue, smoking could cause around a million extra cases of cancer in Britain between now and 2040, and more than 21 million British adults could be obese, increasing their risk of more than thirteen types of cancer enlarge.

Dr. Sadie Boniface, head of research at the Institute of Alcohol Studies, notes: ‘Since 1988, alcohol has been classified by the IARC as a Group 1 carcinogen, alongside tobacco and asbestos.

‘Almost 17,000 cases of alcohol-related cancer were diagnosed in the UK in 2020 alone. To stem the tide of alcohol-related cancers, and of alcohol harm in general, when deaths are currently at record levels, we need policies to tackle cheap alcohol, reduce its availability and limit its marketing.”

Hazel Cheeseman, deputy director of Action on Smoking and Health, comments: ‘There is a terrible price to pay for the endless rants about what is and is not a ‘nanny state’.

“It’s time for the debate to mature and focus on what is evidence-based and can best serve the public. Companies whose products don’t harm their customers are currently paying the price for those that do, just like the rest of us.”