NHS England diagnosed 1,021 people daily with cancer in 2024
On average, NHS England diagnosed 1,021 people with cancer every day in 2024, a record pace that's pushed total cases past 373,000 already.
Half of these are prostate, breast, lung, or bowel cancers.
While more cancers are being caught early than before, the NHS is still missing its targets for quick diagnosis and timely treatment.
Urgent referral and treatment targets missed
Only 78.6% of urgent referrals were diagnosed or had cancer ruled out within 28 days (the target was 80%), and 71.9% of patients began treatment within 62 days of an urgent referral or consultant upgrade, well below the intended 85%.
Experts like Dr. Ian Walker, the executive director of policy at Cancer Research UK, say delays and health inequalities remain a big problem.
There are growing calls to expand screenings and invest more in fairer health care so everyone gets a better shot at early detection and effective treatment.