A UK report has revealed that the number of people diagnosed with cancer is higher than the number of people getting married.
The research, conducted by Macmillan Cancer Support, also deduced that there are more cases of cancer yearly than women having their first baby.
Macmillan Cancer Support analysed the most recent data available, which found there were 361,216 cancers diagnosed in 2014 in the UK compared to 289,841 marriages.
Separate data from 2015 revealed that there were 319,011 new cases of cancer, whilst 271,050 babies were born to first-time mothers.
Data collated from the last decade showed that more than 1.2 million people in the UK have been diagnosed with cancer under the age of 65.
Chief executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, Lynda Thomas, said: “Being told you have cancer changes your life, and it can leave people feeling as if they’ve been thrust into the unknown, bewildered and unprepared.”
“But 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.”
“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.”
The research comes as part of a campaign to remove the fear of a cancer diagnosis.
It’s data also assessed which diseases the UK population feared the most, with cancer coming out at 37 per cent, followed by Alzheimer’s.
Of those living with cancer, 90 per cent said they are living life as normally as they can.
Macmillan Cancer Support offers both the cancer patient and their family help with their diagnosis.
