WCRF analysis: cancer diagnoses in England's under-50s rose across several cancers, 2001–2023
A World Cancer Research Fund analysis of NHS data finds more under-50s in England were diagnosed with prostate, bowel, kidney, womb, liver, pancreatic and breast cancer in 2023 than in 2001. Experts say the figures show trends but not causes.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2A World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) analysis of NHS data in England found that more people under 50 were diagnosed with several cancers in 2023 than in 2001. Daily MirrorL “The World Cancer Research Fund found more under-50s in England are getting the disease in the prostate, kidney, womb, liver, pancreas and breast.” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ Daily MailR “But the new analysis of NHS England data found prostate cancer has seen a far steeper rise.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Mixed · 2Prostate cancer cases among men under 50 rose from 158 in 2001 to 640 in 2023, or from about one to 3.6 cases per 100,000 men under 50. The Daily Mail describes this as a 305 per cent rise, more than double the rise in bowel cancer over the same period. Daily MailR “There were 640 new cases among this group in 2023, up from just 158 in 2001, according to analysis by the World Cancer Research Fund.”“That amounts to a 305 per cent increase over 22 years – more than double the rise seen in bowel cancer over the same period.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Daily MirrorL “but this rose to 640 cases in 2023 - the equivalent of 3.6 cases per 100,000.” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ Mixed · 2Bowel cancer cases rose from 1,289 to 2,989 (3.9 to 8.4 per 100,000). Kidney cancer rose from 510 to 1,065 cases and womb cancer from 335 to 698. Liver cancer rose from 160 to 278 cases, pancreatic cancer from 255 to 346, and breast cancer from 6,886 to 8,507. Daily MailR “Bowel cancer cases rose from 1,289 in 2001 to 2,989 in 2023, with the rate climbing from 3.9 to 8.4 cases per 100,000 people.”“Liver cancer increased from 160 cases to 278 and pancreatic cancer from 255 to 346.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Daily MirrorL “Women under 50 diagnosed with breast cancer increased from 6,886 in 2001 to 8,507 in 2023.” Read at Daily Mirror ↗
Left · 1The Mirror gives incidence rates for several of these: breast cancer rose from 42 to 47.5 per 100,000, kidney from 1.5 to 3, womb from 1.8 to 3.9, liver from 0.5 to 0.8 and pancreatic from 0.8 to 1. Daily MirrorL “increase in incidence among younger adults from 42 per 100,000 in 2001 to 47.5 per 100,000 in 2023”“Liver cancer rates among adults under 50 rose from 0.5 per 100,000 in 2001 to 0.8 per 100,000 in 2023” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ Mixed · 2Dr Giota Mitrou, WCRF's executive director of research and policy, said the figures "should make us pause and think" and that the early-onset picture in England "involves several cancers rather than bowel cancer alone". Until now, concern about rising cancer in younger adults had focused mainly on bowel cancer. Daily MirrorL “These figures should make us pause and think, because this current trajectory is concerning.” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ Daily MailR “Until now, much of the concern over rising cancer rates in younger adults has focused on bowel cancer.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Left · 1Dr Vanessa Gordon-Dseagu, WCRF's international research manager, said more work is needed to understand the drivers, including modifiable risk factors, changes in screening and diagnosis, tumour biology and whether some groups are more affected. The charity is calling for more research. Daily MirrorL “We need to understand what is driving these trends, including modifiable risk factors and exposures experienced earlier in life, changes in screening and diagnosis, tumour biology”“The charity is demanding more research into why this is happening.” Read at Daily Mirror ↗
Right · 1Experts quoted by the Daily Mail cautioned against reading the rise as a true increase in risk. Professor Prabhakar Rajan of Queen Mary University of London said greater awareness, more testing and changes in diagnosis could contribute, and that the analysis "cannot establish their causes". Natalia Norori of Prostate Cancer UK said the rise partly reflected more PSA testing. Daily MailR “'The analysis identifies important trends but cannot establish their causes,' he said.”“said the rise in diagnoses partly reflected more men having PSA tests.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Mixed · 2Professor Roger Kirby, a retired prostate surgeon not involved in the research, said testing and awareness probably explain some of the rise but that obesity and processed meat, including nitrates and nitrites, could also play a role. The Mirror says experts have previously blamed junk food diets and rising obesity. Daily MailR “But he warned that soaring obesity rates and diets increasingly high in processed meat could also be playing a role.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Daily MirrorL “Experts have previously blamed modern junk food diets and increasing rates of obesity.” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ Mixed · 2The Mirror links the analysis to a King's College London trial, featured on BBC Panorama, that will follow 250,000 healthy participants to study early-onset bowel cancer. The Daily Mail places the prostate findings in the debate over screening: the UK National Screening Committee recently recommended screening only about 1,500 men aged 45 to 61 with a particular genetic mutation and family history. Campaigners including Jeremy Clarkson, Sir Stephen Fry, David Cameron and Rishi Sunak have written to Health Secretary Yvette Cooper urging a reversal. Daily MirrorL “will follow 250,000 healthy participants for years to understand how diet, lifestyle, daily habits, gut health, and environmental exposures influence their chances of getting the disease” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ Daily MailR “The UK National Screening Committee recently recommended screening only around 1,500 men aged 45 to 61 who carry a particular genetic mutation and have a family history of an associated cancer.”“Signatories to a letter to Health Secretary Yvette Cooper included Jeremy Clarkson, Sir Stephen Fry and David Cameron” Read at Daily Mail ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Leads on a broad warning that younger people are being diagnosed with a range of cancers, presented as a 'bombshell' analysis.
- Emphasis
- WCRF's call for research and prevention, the full list of cancers with case numbers and per-100,000 rates, the King's College bowel cancer trial, and previously blamed junk food diets and obesity.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not report experts' caution that more testing and awareness may explain part of the rise, or the prostate screening debate.
- Charged language
- “bombshell NHS analysis”“Cancer warning for millions”
- For example
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“Cancer warning for millions as younger people being diagnosed earlier, bombshell NHS analysis reveals” — Daily Mirror
“The charity is demanding more research into why this is happening.” — Daily Mirror
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Leads on prostate cancer in younger men, calling the rise 'startling' and linking it to the Mail's campaign for national prostate screening.
- Emphasis
- Prostate figures and the 305 per cent rise, outside experts on diet, obesity and testing, the screening committee decision and celebrity campaigners.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Gives less space to per-100,000 rates for the other cancers and does not mention the King's College trial or WCRF's call for further research.
- Charged language
- “startling rise”“alarming new figures”
- For example
-
“Warning over startling rise in younger men with prostate cancer: cases treble in last 22 years” — Daily Mail
“The Daily Mail is also campaigning to end needless prostate cancer deaths and for a national screening programme” — Daily Mail
What every side reports
- WCRF analysed NHS data for England comparing 2001 and 2023.
- Prostate cancer cases in men under 50 rose from 158 to 640.
- Bowel cancer cases in under-50s rose from 1,289 to 2,989.
- Kidney, womb, liver, pancreatic and breast cancers also rose among under-50s.
- Dr Giota Mitrou of WCRF said the trend was concerning and that early-onset cancer involves several cancers, not only bowel cancer.
Where accounts differ
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Why diagnoses have risen
- Left
- The Mirror says experts have previously blamed junk food diets and obesity, and quotes WCRF calling for research into causes.
- Right
- The Daily Mail quotes experts citing both greater testing and awareness and possible diet and obesity effects, and says the analysis cannot establish causes.
World Cancer Research Fund organisation
WCRF says the figures are concerning, show that early-onset cancer is wider than bowel cancer, and should be treated as a research and prevention priority. It wants to understand the drivers, including screening and diagnosis changes.
“these changing patterns among younger generations need to be treated as a serious research and cancer prevention priority.” — Daily Mirror
“These findings show that the early-onset cancer picture in England is far wider and more complex” — Daily Mail
Left1 article
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Alarmist Broad warning about many cancers in younger people, relaying WCRF's statements and data with little outside caveat.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right1 article
-
Warning over startling rise in younger men with prostate cancer: cases treble in last 22 years
Alarmist Prostate-focused warning, balanced with expert caveats about testing, and tied to the paper's screening campaign.
- 6 Oct 00:02 First Daily MailR Warning over startling rise in younger men with prostate cancer: cases treble in last 22 years
- 6 Oct 00:02 +1m Daily MirrorL Cancer warning for millions as younger people being diagnosed earlier, bombshell NHS analysis reveals
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.