Breast cancer to cost UK £3.6bn by 2034

REPORT SHOWS THE COST TO ECONOMY TO RISE BY ALMOST 40%

THE yearly cost of breast cancer to the UK economy could rise by almost 40% to £3.6 billion by 2034, according to a new report.

The study, from the think tank Demos and the charity Breast Cancer Now, set out the stark rises that could be expected if no action was taken to improve screening rates and cut advanced cancer cases.

The figures represent costs to the NHS in terms of diagnosis and treatment, the cost to society in terms of productivity-loss relating both to the patient and carers, and the individual costs that people carry, such as out-of-pocket expenses and loss of income.

Economic modelling in the study shows that, in 2024, the total cost of breast cancer to the UK economy is estimated to be £2.6 to £2.8 billion, or around 0.1% of UK gross output.