What are the 5 common cancers in men and women?
The commonest 5 cancers* in men are (in order):
- Prostate. Difficulty passing urine
- Lung. Blood in sputum
- Bowel. Blood from bottom or in poo
- Head and neck. Ulcer or lump that does not go away in three weeks
- Kidney. Blood in urine.
Persistent or unexplained weight loss can also be a red flag symptom of these and other cancers.
Different cancers are more or less common in men in different age groups NHS (NHS Digital data in England in 2019)
* non-melanoma skin cancer
The 5 commonest cancers* in women are as follows (in order). Each has its main red flag symptom that means it should be investigated soon.
- Breast. Lump in breast. 1 in 10 women get breast cancer. That is why it is important to have mammograms, do breast self-examination, and have BRCA (BReast CAncer) gene testing if necessary
- Lung. Blood in sputum. Mainly occurs in smokers.
- Bowel. Bleeding from bottom or in poo
- Uterus. Bleeding from vagina, especially (but not only) after menopause
- Skin (melanoma). New or enlarging mole or lump.
Persistent or unexplained weight loss can also be a red flag symptom of these and other cancers.
Different cancers are more or less common in women in different age groups NHS (NHS Digital data in England in 2019)
* non-melanoma skin cancer
Other resource
MyHSN has a longer article on 10 cancer facts
Cancer research UK has good information on cancer rates in the UK
