Cancers getting diagnosed at earlier stages
Getty ImagesNHS figures show the proportion of patients diagnosed with cancer early has risen to its highest level on record.
Data for the 13 most common cancers shows that 58.7% of cancers diagnosed between September 2023 and August 2024 were diagnosed in stages one and two, which increases chances of survival.
That’s up 2.7 percentage points since before the outbreak and is the highest since records began more than 10 years ago.
NHS England said a combination of public awareness campaigns and new screening methods had made a big difference.
But despite progress, England is still struggling to meet its target of diagnosing 75% of stage one and stage two cancers by 2028.
The NHS is also failing to meet targets for starting treatment quickly – with almost a third of cancer patients waiting more than 62 days after emergency referral.
according to a Nuffield Trust Report These are factors that put UK cancer survival rates behind many other comparable countries last year.
“There is more to do”
Dame Carly Palmer, NHS England’s national cancer director, acknowledged that “there is still much to do”.
But she added: “Early detection of cancer saves lives and with the huge push for early detection in recent years, it’s really encouraging to see that more people are now being diagnosed at an earlier stage than ever before.”
She said initiatives such as mobile screening programs for lung and liver cancer were already having a significant impact.
family handoutsPaul Nelson, 72, is one of the beneficiaries.
Last summer, he had no symptoms during a lung health check-up and was diagnosed with cancer.
He said he was devastated but early detection meant he could get treatment.
“I’ve never had any problems with my breasts but I was checked and then offered a scan so I thought why not. I’m glad I went.
“If things had dragged on for a few more months, the situation could have been very different.”
Cancer Research UK chief executive Michelle Mitchell praised the progress made by the NHS in early cancer detection.
But he added: “Despite this, people across the country are still facing unacceptable delays in vital care.”
She said the need for a well-funded national cancer plan, increased investment in staff and equipment, and reforms would help improve cancer services.
