Merseyside
Our regional report from 2021 highlighted key patterns of cancer in Merseyside. Despite its population broadly being in line with wider demographics, the area has concerning incidence rates of liver and lung cancer.
Cancer rates in Merseyside are the second highest in the North West.
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- Incidences of liver cancer in Merseyside are 75% higher than the rest of England
- Merseyside has extremely high rates of lung, trachea, and bronchus cancers, with rates at 59% higher than the national average.
- Oesophageal cancer rates high across the North West and Merseyside has a significant burden of disease with a 39% higher incidence rate than the rest of the country.
- Merseyside’s bladder cancer rates are concerning – the county over-indexes by 36% compared to the English average.
- Cases of stomach cancer are high in Merseyside, with incidence rates charting 35% above the rest of the country.
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Cancer rates in Merseyside are in line with the cases reported across the North West – with overall recorded cancer cases tracking
seven percent higher than that of the national population.
The county is the most deprived in the North West, with significantly high levels of deprivation compared to both the regional and national
average. Merseyside’s population is relatively young, with 69% of the population living within the Liverpool City Region aged under 54.
Around 28% of the population in the Liverpool City Region are employed in routine or manual roles, while 26% have managerial, administrative, or professional occupations. Students make up 10% of the Liverpool City Region population, while 8% of people living in the area are long term unemployed or have never worked.
Across the county, a varied picture of cancer rates emerges, with Sefton recording the highest peak rates in the county at 22% over the national average, and urban communities living in Liverpool City Centre recording the lowest cancer rates – 10% below the regional average.
Oesophageal, stomach, and bladder cancers pose a significant health burden for the county, with rates tracking significantly higher than the rest of the country. In common with Manchester, lung cancer is a significant issue for Merseyside, with recorded rates almost 60% higher than the national average.
Although rare, the county also struggles with an extremely high incidence of liver cancer that dwarfs rates recorded across the rest of England.
Find out more about our research into cancer incidence rates across the North West and North Wales via our full report.