Bone and connective tissue cancer - UK incidence statistics

This page contains incidence data for bone and connective tissue cancers, broken down by age, sex and trends over time. The ICD codes for bone and connective tissue cancers are ICD-10 C40-41 (bone) and C47, C49 (connective tissue). 

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By age and sex

Bone and connective tissue cancers account for less than 1% of all new cancer cases diagnosed in the UK each year. Table 1.1 shows the number of new cases and incidence rates of bone and connective tissue cancers in the countries of the UK. There were around 600 bone cancers and around 1,630 connective tissue cancers diagnosed in 2008 in the UK.1-4

It has been estimated that the lifetime risk of developing cancers of bone and connective tissue is around 1 in 280 for men and around 1 in 380 for women in the UK. This was done for 2006-2008 using the AMP method. 5

Table 1.1: Bone and connective tissue cancer (C40-41, C47 and C49), Number of New Cases, Crude and European Age-Standardised (AS) Incidence Rates per 100,000 Population, Countries of the UK, 2008

England Wales Scotland Northern Ireland United Kingdom
Male Cases 1,058 84 99 40 1,281
Crude Rate 4.2 5.8 4.0 4.6 4.2
AS Rate 3.8 4.9 3.5 4.5 3.8
AS Rate - 95% LCL* 3.5 3.8 2.8 3.1 3.6
AS Rate - 95% UCL* 4.0 5.9 4.2 6.0 4.0
Female Cases 791 59 74 24 948
Crude Rate 3.0 3.9 2.8 2.7 3.0
AS Rate 2.6 3.3 2.2 2.2 2.6
AS Rate - 95% LCL* 2.5 2.5 1.7 1.3 2.5
AS Rate - 95% UCL* 2.8 4.2 2.7 3.0 2.8
Persons Cases 1,849 143 173 64 2,229
Crude Rate 3.6 4.8 3.3 3.6 3.6
AS Rate 3.2 4.0 2.8 3.3 3.2
AS Rate - 95% LCL* 3.0 3.4 2.4 2.5 3.0
AS Rate - 95% UCL* 3.3 4.7 3.2 4.1 3.3

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*95% LCL and 95% UCL are the 95% lower and upper confidence limits around the AS Rate

Figure 1.1 shows bone and connective tissue cancer incidence by age at diagnosis. Although incidence rates increase with age, more than a third of new cases affect people under 50 years old. Until age 50, men and women have similar rates for bone and connective tissue cancer, but in later life male rates predominate. In numerical terms, there are more male cases of bone and connective tissue between the ages of 10 and 85, after which male and female cases are similar again; even though females rates are lower, as women make up a larger proportion of the elderly population.

Figure 1.1: Bone and connective tissue cancer (C40-41, C47 and C49), Average Number of New Cases Per Year and Age-Specific Incidence Rates per 100,000 Population, UK, 2006-2008

cases_crude_bone_ct1.swf

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Section last updated: 11/07/11

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Trends over time

Figures 1.2 and 1.3 show bone and connective tissue cancer incidence trends in Great Britain from the mid-1970s to present, and the UK from the early 1990s to present. These incidence rates have shown only a small increase over this time period. 

Figure 1.2: Bone and connective tissue cancer (C40-41, C47 and C49), European Age-Standardised Incidence Rates, Great Britain, 1975-2008

inc_asr_gb_bone_ct.swf

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Figure 1.3: Bone and connective tissue cancer (C40-41, C47 and C49), European Age-Standardised Incidence Rates, UK, 1993-2008

inc_asr_uk_bone_ct.swf

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Section last updated: 11/07/11

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References for bone and connective tissue cancer incidence

  1. Office for National Statistics, Cancer Statistics registrations: Registrations of cancer diagnosed in England in 2008. (PDF 544KB) Series MB1 no. 39. 2010.
  2. Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit, 2010. Cancer Incidence in Wales 2004-2008
  3.  ISD Scotland Online. Information and Statistics Division, NHS Scotland, 2010.
  4. Northern Ireland Cancer Registry, 2010 Cancer Incidence and Mortality.
  5.  Sasieni PD, Shelton J, Ormiston-Smith N, Thomson CS, Silcocks PB  What is the lifetime risk of developing cancer?: the effect of adjusting for multiple primaries. Br J Cancer, 2011. 105(3): p. 460-5.