There are hundreds of different types of cancer. Some are more common than others. Some cancer types have different subtypes. For example, there are many different types of lung and breast cancers. Different types of cancer are called common, less common and rare.
Percentage of cancer diagnoses per year
Image: 100 figures are displayed in a 10 by 10 grid. 53 figures are green. The text next to them states that 53% of people diagnosed with cancer in the UK each year are diagnosed with one of the most common cancers. The most common cancers are types of prostate cancer, lung cancer, bowel cancer and breast cancer in women. 23 figures are light green. The text next to them states that 23% of people diagnosed with cancer in the UK each year are diagnosed with a less common cancer. For example, less common cancers include types of kidney cancer, brain tumours, pancreatic cancer and melanoma skin cancer. 24 figures are black. The text next to them states that 24% of people diagnosed with cancer in the UK each year are diagnosed with a rare cancer. For example, rare cancers include stomach cancer, leukaemia, thyroid cancer and cancer of the gullet (oesophagus)
Common cancers
In the UK, the most common cancers are types of:
The common subtypes of these cancers make up over half of all cancers in the UK. For every 100 people diagnosed with cancer each year, around 53 people (53%) will have one of these most common types.
Some subtypes of these 4 cancers can be rare types of cancer. We explain why a cancer might be rare below.
Less common cancers
For every 100 people diagnosed with cancer each year in the UK, approximately 47 (47%) will have a less common or rare cancer. About 23 of those people will have a less common cancer type. Many different types of cancers are included in the less common group, including:
But again, there are subtypes of less common cancers which can be described as rare.
Rare cancers
For every 100 people diagnosed with cancer in the UK each year, around 24 will have a rare cancer type. In the UK and Europe, experts believe a cancer is rare if less than 6 in 100,000 people each year are diagnosed with it.
What types of cancer are rare?
There are many different types of cancer considered to be rare. Only a small number of people are diagnosed with these cancer types every year.
You may have heard of some of these before. They include:
But there are many rare cancers that most people have not heard of. These can start anywhere in the body and include:
- types of blood cancer
- cancers affecting the female reproductive organs such as the ovaries, cervix, womb, vagina and vulva
- cancers involving the digestive system such as the gullet (oesophagus), stomach, liver, pancreas, gallbladder and anus
- head and neck cancers such as those affecting the mouth, throat and nasal passages
- cancers that affect the lungs (other than lung cancer) such as cancer of the trachea, and mesothelioma
- cancers that affect the muscles, bones, tendons and ligaments (sarcomas).
We have more information about some of these types of cancer in our A-Z list. We have also linked to some rare cancer types at the bottom of this page.
Why a cancer type might be rare
There are many reasons why a cancer type is rare. It could be for one of the following reasons:
- It started in a different type of cell
Often cancers start in certain types of cells, such as skin cells or cells found in the lining of organs. A cancer might be rare because it started in a different type of cell, such as a bone cell. - It affects an unusual part of the body
Melanoma is a type of skin cancer and is the 5th most common cancer in the UK. But melanoma that starts in the eye (ocular melanoma) is rare. - It is a rarer type of a more common cancer
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is one of the 10 most common types of cancer. But there are many sub-types of NHL and some of these are rare. - It affects children, teenagers and young adults
Cancer only affects a very small number of children, teenagers and young adults. So any cancer diagnosed in someone young is usually a rare cancer.
