NHS England has said that the percentage of patients diagnosed with cancer at an early stage has reached its highest level on record. Data has shown that over 58% of those diagnosed with the 13 most common cancers between September 2023 and August 2024 were identified at stages one and two, which increases the chances of survival. The figure has risen by 2.7 percentage points since the start of the pandemic and represents the highest percentage since records began over a decade ago. The increase was attributed by NHS England to a combination of public awareness campaigns and new screening approaches.
Despite the progress, England has failed to reach its target of diagnosing 75% of cancer at stages one and two by 2028. Additionally, nearly a third of people diagnosed with cancer wait longer than 62 days from an urgent referral before receiving treatment. These factors have contributed to the UK’s cancer survival rate lagging behind many other comparable countries, according to a report by the Nuffield Trust last year.
Dame Cally Palmer, NHS England’s national cancer director, acknowledged there was still “much more to do”. She emphasised, however, that “lives are saved when cancers are caught early” and said that initiatives such as mobile screening programmes, which have been used for lung and liver cancers, had made a big difference.
One man who has directly benefited from early detection is Paul Nelson, aged 72, who was diagnosed with lung cancer after attending a lung health check last summer. Although he had no prior symptoms, the cancer was caught early enough to allow treatment to begin. Nelson said he was devastated by the diagnosis, but added that he was grateful he had gone for the check.
Cancer Research UK chief executive Michelle Mitchell praised the progress made on early detection, but called for a fully-funded national cancer plan to tackle unacceptable delays in vital care. Mitchell argued that increased investment in staff and equipment, alongside reform, could help transform cancer services for the better
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