'Lifestyle' cancers on the increase

Cancers linked to lifestyle factors have soared over the last ten years, new figures show.

Statistics from Cancer Research UK highlight the rise in cancers linked to alcohol, smoking, obesity and the exposure to the sun.

The charity said rates of melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, had risen by over 40 per cent since 1997, making it the fastest rising cancer in the UK.

Cases of mouth, womb, and kidney cancers have also shown rapid increases in the last decade.

Research has shown that around half of cancers could be prevented by changes to lifestyle. The charity said it was worried about the increases because some cases were potentially avoidable.

Cancer Research UK's director of health information Sara Hiom said: "We're very concerned that cases of malignant melanoma are spiralling.

"Exposure to UV radiation in sunlight is the main cause of skin cancer. Most cases of this disease could be prevented if people protected themselves in the sun and took care not to burn.

"Most cases of mouth cancer occur in people who smoke or chew tobacco and regularly drink alcohol.

"As well as encouraging people to reduce their risk of mouth cancer, our priority is to raise awareness of the early warning signs of the disease, as this helps doctors find cancers at an early stage when treatment is easier and there is a good chance of a cure."

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