HEAVY industry and smoking are being the underlying causes which make the North-East the UK's lung cancer hotspot.

Data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show there are 116.7 cases of lung cancer per 100,000 men, and 102.2 cases per 100,000 women.

The national average is 92.5 for men and 64.4 for women.

A north-south divide in the overall number of cancer cases is also revealed by the ONS figures, with both the North-East and Yorkshire comfortably above the national average.

The North-East has 633.3 cancer cases per 100,000 people, with the figure 616.6 in Yorkshire - compared to a national average of 601.2.

Further underlining the north-south divide, the North West has the highest overall rate, with 636.6 diagnoses per 100,000 people.

Charles Rowett, chief executive of Yorkshire Cancer Research, warned of a "perfect storm" of cancer causes in the North, blaming: "an ageing population, social deprivation causing poor diet and high alcoholism levels, and our industrial history".

He added: "National agencies are not investing in research, instead concentrating on London and the south east, and there is a clear correlation between how much research you are doing in a region and outcomes.”

The ONS said differences could be due to a number of factors, such as levels of deprivation and lifestyle behaviours such as smoking – nearly a quarter of adults in the North-East smoke, according to recent figures.

ONS figures also showed that cancer diagnoses in England have almost doubled in the past 40 years, with some research predicting cases may double again by 2030.

There was better news for the region in terms of prostate and breast cancer.

The North-East had the lowest rate in prostate cancer cases in men, with 154.2 cases per 100,000 men – against the national average of 185.7.

Similarly, the region has the fewest cases of breast cancer in women, with 159.8 per 100,000 women. The national average is 169.8.

The ONS pointed out that cancer is a disease of the ageing, with half (49.9 per cent) of cases registered in those aged 70 and above.

A Department of Health spokeswoman said: "An ageing population means the NHS is seeing more cancer patients than ever before. Despite this, survival rates are at a record high.

"We want to be the best in the world for cancer care and know early diagnosis is crucial.

"We are working to raise awareness and help the public spot the signs of cancer as early as possible. The independent cancer taskforce, led by Cancer Research UK, will also help us improve survival rates even further. "