Cancer diagnoses now 'more common than marriage' in the UK

Developing cancer has now become more common in the UK than getting married, new research has revealed.

According to a fresh report from Macmillan Cancer Support the number of new cases of cancer each year is also higher than the number of women having their first baby.

The revelations came as the cancer charity analysed the most recent figures available and found there were 361,216 cancers diagnosed in 2014 in the UK compared to 289,841 marriages.

In addition by taking separate data from 2015 the charity also found there were 271,050 babies born to first-time mothers in England and Wales, compared to 319,011 new cases of cancer in the same year.

The data, which was collated as part of a campaign to remove the fear of a cancer diagnosis, also showed that over the last decade more than 1.2 million people under the age of 65 have been told they have cancer.

Projections also suggested that around half of people will develop cancer at some point in their lives.

According to Lynda Thomas, chief executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, "as more and more people are being diagnosed with cancer, it's important that we are all better informed about what to expect if we do one day receive this shocking news".

She said: "Cancer is almost always life-changing, but it isn't always life-ending.

"Life with cancer is still life - you're still a dad, a sister, a grandparent, a friend.

"Macmillan has supported millions from the point of diagnosis, throughout their treatment and into the future. From our experience, we believe that living well with cancer begins at diagnosis."