Over half a million young adults think cancer only really happens in old age
The misconception that cancer only really happens to people in old age is more common among younger age groups. 3% of all UK adults believe the myth and this surprisingly jumps up to 11% of young people aged 18-24 which could be putting people at risk.
Cancer can affect people of all ages
The misconception that cancer only really happens to people in old age is more common among younger age groups. While 3% of all UK adults believe the myth, this shockingly jumps up to 11% of young people (aged 18 to 24), equating to more than 600,000 young adults across the UK - according to recent research from Macmillan (1).
While the risk of cancer does increase with age, it can affect individuals of all ages, including young adults and children. Certain cancers are more prevalent in younger populations and there is evidence to suggest rates of cancer are increasing faster among the under-50s than in older age groups across Western Europe as well as many other parts of the world.(2)
LJ shares his story of being diagnosed when he was 19
These outdated views about young people and cancer affected LJ Madalura, 27, from South Croydon, who was diagnosed with leukaemia at 19.
LJ says: “I was in college, thinking about the next step in life, trying to figure out what I’ll be doing, putting course work together to apply for uni.
“I was a very creative kid, studying at Croydon College, doing creative media, film and comedy skits. Cancer then hit, and I went from doing a thousand things to doing nothing.”
Thankfully LJ’s cancer was treated successfully and after deferring for a year, LJ went on to attend university just two months after leaving hospital.
Macmillan exists to ensure that everyone living with cancer, no matter who you are or where you live, gets the best level of care.LJ found our cancer information helpful, and says:
“I remember when I was trying to find out more about the stem cell transplant, the Macmillan leaflets, booklets and website were helpful. I was learning information about what I’d experience after the transplant."
LJ goes on to reflect about the ‘stigma towards cancer’ within certain communities and says:
“There’s still a stigma towards cancer. Some people believe it’s something you don’t get until you are older, and others think it’s contagious, they'll avoid you. A lot of older generations from my Filipino culture neglect the idea of cancer and often believe you must have done something wrong to get it. There’s so much confusion and silence around it. These are big topics, and even if others don’t understand, your experience is real, and you deserve support and care every step of the way.” ”
More people living with cancer than ever before
There are more people living with cancer than ever before – almost 3.5 million people in the UK(3) – it’s never been more important for people to be aware of the accurate and trusted support available.
Macmillan's Chief Medical Officer, Richard Simcock, shared his thoughts:
"It’s worrying to see hundreds of thousands of young people hold outdated views about cancer. These misconceptions could prevent people from reaching out and getting the right support for them which could have a devastating impact.
Every day we hear from people whose lives have been turned upside down by cancer and for some the impact is even greater, simply because of who they are or where they live. We’re urging anyone who is concerned about cancer to contact their GP or reach out to Macmillan for support."
Common misconceptions about cancer
That’s why we’ve launched our new campaign, Whoever You Are, Whatever it Takes. The campaign is being fronted by 10 people with cancer from across the UK – including LJ – who have joined forces to shine a light on what it really means to be living with a cancer diagnosis in the UK today. We want to encourage more people to access trusted, reliable cancer information and support that's right for them, no matter who they are or where they live.
Support if you are worried about cancer
Information about cancer
Talk to someone about cancer
You may also find it helpful to talk to someone about your concerns. You can:
- Call the Macmillan Support Line for free on 0808 808 00 00.
- Chat to our specialists online.
References
- [i] Macmillan Cancer Support/YouGov survey of 2,002 adults in the UK who have had a cancer diagnosis. Fieldwork was undertaken between 30th May and 24th June 2025. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of people living with cancer in the UK (aged 18+). Survey question was as follows: “For each of the following statements, please state whether you have experienced this or not in relation to your cancer tests or treatment.” Answer options were as follows: Had to travel for an hour or more to have a test or scan; Had to travel for an hour or more to have treatment; Found out from a friend/family about other types of test or treatments for your cancer that are only offered in another part of the UK; Had to ask repeatedly to get a particular test or treatment that is not available in your local area. By local area we mean the area where you live; Considered not having a test or treatment because of the travel time; Had to turn down a test or treatment because of the travel time; Chose to travel to a hospital more than an hour away because it had shorter waiting times; Chose to travel to a hospital more than an hour away because it had better treatment options. 40% of respondents selected one or more of these options. ‘Almost 1.4 million’ figure estimated by applying the 40% figure to the 3.4 million people living with cancer in the UK, sourced from: Macmillan Cancer Support. Cancer prevalence. Accessed July 2025
- [ii] As per ref 1. Survey question was as follows: “For each of the following statements, please state whether you have experienced this or not in relation to your cancer tests or treatment.” Relevant options referenced here: Had to travel for an hour or more to have a test or scan; Had to travel for an hour or more to have treatment. 36% of people with cancer selected one or both of these options.
- [iii] As per ref 1. Survey question was as follows: “You said you have had one or more experiences in relation to the availability of cancer tests or treatment in your local area. Which, if any, of the following impacts have these experiences had on you personally?” Answer options included: Increased costs from travel or accommodation; Additional worry, stress or anxiety; Loss of income from having to take more time off work; Caused difficulties with my caring responsibilities, e.g. looking after children, elderly relatives or other dependents; I received a better test or treatment for my cancer; I received a lower quality test or treatment for my cancer; Loss of confidence in the NHS; It's taken up time and energy; It's caused exhaustion or worsened fatigue. Re-basing onto the total survey sample shows that around one in six (16%) people with cancer have experienced additional worry, stress and anxiety as a result of local variation in treatment, and around one in eight (12%) have experienced exhaustion or worsened fatigue.
- [iv] As per ref 1. Relevant option referenced here: Had to turn down a test or treatment because of the travel time. 3% of respondents selected this option. 100k figure estimated as per ref 1 by applying the 3% to the 3.4 million people living with cancer in the UK.
- [v] v Macmillan Cancer Support analysis of cancer waiting times 62-day standards for each UK nation between April 2024 and March 2025. During this time, an additional 53,968 people with cancer in England would have started first treatment within 62 days of urgent referral if all Sub-ICBs matched the 84.8% performance reported for NHS West Yorkshire ICB (02T). An additional 3,908 people with cancer in Scotland would have started first treatment within 62 days of urgent suspicion of cancer referral if all Health Boards matched the 94.3% performance reported for NHS Lanarkshire. An additional 2,013 people with cancer in Wales would have started first definitive treatment within 62 days of suspicion of cancer if all Local Health Boards matched the 67.4% performance reported for Cardiff and Vale UHB. An additional 291 people with cancer in Northern Ireland would have started first definitive treatment within 62 days of an urgent referred with suspected cancer if all Health and Social Care Trusts matched the 40.5% performance reported for Western HSCT.
Sources for 62-day standards data: NHS England. Cancer waiting times – provider-based data extracts; Public Health Scotland. Cancer waiting times – 1 January to 31 March 2025; StatsWales. Suspected Cancer Pathways data; Northern Ireland Department of Health. Cancer waiting times. All accessed July 2025. - [vi] As per ref 1. Survey included 60 people living with head and neck cancer.
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