'Half of men to get cancer by 2027'

Half of all British men are likely to be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime by the year 2027, experts have predicted.

Men in the UK currently have a 44% chance of developing the disease.

Women's risk is also expected to increase from 40% to 44% in the next 15 years.

The better news is that proportionally fewer people are likely to be dying of cancer thanks to improved methods of diagnosis and treatment.

Over the last 40 years, cancer survival has doubled, figures show.

The projections, from Cancer Research UK, are based on past incidence and death rates and assume a continuation of trends.

They do not take into account new forms of treatment, lifestyle and environmental changes that might alter future cancer rates.

Age is the biggest risk factor for cancer and the increase in incident rates largely reflect the fact that people are living longer, said the charity.

The cancers set to affect people most in the next 15 years are prostate, bowel and melanoma (skin).

Cancer Research UK's chief executive Dr Harpal Kumar said: "These figures provide a glimpse into the future. On the plus side, our life expectancy is increasing but this also means more of us are likely to be diagnosed with cancer."