There will be more than 900,000 cancer deaths in the UK by the end of the new government’s first parliamentary term, according to new projections from the charity Cancer Research UK.
This is a 17% increase on the number of deaths since the last parliamentary term in 2019. And by 2029 there will be around 2.2 million new UK cancer cases diagnosed, it has warned.
The first reason for the increase will be, simply, because of the UK’s growing population, it said. While cancer mortality rates are projected to fall, as the population increases and more people get older, the overall number of cancer cases and deaths will also climb.
However, alongside this, cancer waiting times show that services are struggling, the charity said. For example in England, the 62-day target for patients to receive their first treatment following a referral has not been met since 2015.
Meanwhile, the number of patients waiting longer than 104 days to begin treatment has grown.
According to the charity’s analysis, the percentage of cancer patients waiting at least 104 days to begin cancer treatment following an urgent suspected cancer referral in England has almost tripled in just five years.
There was therefore “an urgent need” for action to change the trajectory of cancer care in the UK, the charity warned, including the need for a long-term, fully funded cancer strategy.
“The UK government must ensure they deliver on their commitments to tackle cancer and make the UK a world leader in cancer research and care,” said Michelle Mitchell, Cancer Research UK chief executive.
“There are no quick fixes or easy solutions – bold action is needed to help people live longer, better lives,” she added.
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