Patients will receive faster diagnosis, quicker treatment, and the support to live well with cancer under the government’s landmark new National Cancer Plan
For the first time, the NHS will commit to ensuring three in four people diagnosed with cancer from 2035 onwards are cancer-free or living well after five years.
This represents the fastest rate of improvement in cancer outcomes this century and will translate to 320,000 more lives saved over the lifetime of the plan.
The NHS has not met its central cancer performance target - that 85% of patients start treatment within 62 days of referral - since 2014. Survival rates are below Romania and Poland for some cancer types.
Under this plan, that will change - by March 2029, the NHS will meet all three cancer waiting time standards, meaning hundreds of thousands more patients will receive timely treatment. This demonstrates the real change being delivered by the government’s record investment as we rebuild the NHS.
60% of patients currently survive for 5 years or more and around 2.4m people are currently living after a cancer diagnosis.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:
Professor Peter Johnson, NHS national clinical director for cancer, said:
Gemma Peters, Chief Executive at Macmillan Cancer Support, said:
Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said:
Chris Walden, Chief Executive Officer, Cancer52, said:
Dame Laura Lee, chief executive of Maggie’s, said:
The plan sets out sweeping reforms to how cancer is diagnosed and treated:
The government has also announced a new AI pilot to help detect hard-to-reach lung cancers sooner with fewer invasive tests as well as a new employer partnership to support England’s 830,000 working-age cancer patients to remain in employment during and after treatment.
While more people survive cancer than ever before, progress has slowed over the last decade, and England remains behind other comparable countries including Australia and Denmark. For some cancers, such as brain cancer, survival rates in England trail behind countries like Croatia and Romania.
The cancer plan comes as the government continues to make strides on cancer waiting lists, diagnosing or ruling out cancer on time for 213,000 extra cases since July last year.
One hundred and seventy community diagnostic centres are now open - with over 100 of them available at evenings and weekends - bringing checks, scans and tests closer to where people live and at times that work around them. The government is also taking tough action on the causes on cancer: introducing a generational ban on smoking and a ban on junk food ads before 9pm.