Cancer highlighted as number one killer in England and Wales

New government figures have shown that cancer remains the number one cause of death in England and Wales.

According to data from the Office for National Statistics, there were a total of 529,655 deaths from all causes registered in England and Wales in 2015, an increase of 5.6 percent compared with 2014.

Cancer accounted for the largest percentage of this total, with 28 percent of deaths caused by the disease, with 26 percent attributed to circulatory diseases such as heart diseases and stroke, and 14 percent a result of respiratory disease.

However, it was noted that the cancer mortality has been on the decline since the 1990s, with the overall higher number of deaths attributed to the rise in average life expectancy, with the population increasing in both size and age over time.

Nevertheless, Cancer Research UK has urged the government to work to improve outcomes for NHS patients so they match those seen in the best-performing healthcare systems in the world.

Emma Greenwood, Cancer Research UK’s head of policy, said: "Improving outcomes for patients so they match the best in the world must be a priority for governments and the NHS."