Older adults in the UK face significantly reduced access to timely cancer diagnosis and treatment compared with younger patients, according to a report by Cancer Research UK. The findings highlight a disparity in care during a period described as a “golden age” of cancer breakthroughs.

The report reveals that people over the age of 70, who account for more than half of all cancer diagnoses despite comprising just 14 percent of the population, are more likely to receive a diagnosis only after an emergency hospital admission. Specifically, approximately one in three cancer diagnoses in individuals over 50 occurs following admission through accident and emergency (A&E) departments, a rate more than double that of patients under 50, where the figure stands at 15 percent. Late diagnosis often contributes to more advanced disease and lower survival rates.

Significant discrepancies are especially notable in ovarian cancer, with only 21 percent of cases detected early among women aged 75 or older compared to 69 percent among those under 50. Additionally, older patients are less likely to receive standard treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The report cites international comparisons showing that just 24.2 percent of UK patients aged 85 or older with cancer receive chemotherapy, contrasted with 8.1 percent in Australia and 14 percent in Ontario, Canada. Radiotherapy rates for this age group in the UK range between 6.2 and 9.6 percent, while some Canadian and Australian regions report figures above 16 and 20 percent, respectively.

Cancer Research UK acknowledges that some older patients may be ineligible for intensive treatments due to comorbidities, but it suggests that many are denied care based solely on chronological age rather than overall fitness. The report also highlights that older adults are frequently excluded from clinical trials because of age restrictions. This exclusion limits patients’ access to innovative therapies and restricts medical knowledge about the effectiveness of new treatments in this demographic.

Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, emphasized the urgency of addressing these gaps, noting that while cancer survival rates have improved overall since the 1970s, progress has been slowest among the oldest patients. For example, 10-year survival rates for lung cancer among women aged 15 to 44 increased by 23.5 percentage points since 1971, whereas the improvement was only 7.8 percentage points for women over 75.

The report indicates that although individuals aged 50 and older are more likely to consult a general practitioner (GP) when experiencing possible cancer symptoms, younger patients are more likely to follow up if symptoms persist. With cancer cases in England projected to exceed six million by 2040, largely driven by population aging, Mitchell called on health authorities to prepare for a substantial rise in demand. She urged the NHS to prioritize expanding specialist staff and equipment capacity as part of its forthcoming 10-year workforce plan to avoid leaving older patients behind.

While most cases remain concentrated in older populations, the report also notes a recent surge in cancer incidence among younger age groups, with a 32 percent increase in cases among those aged 25 to 39 since the early 1990s. Factors potentially influencing this trend include rising obesity rates and greater consumption of processed foods.