UK cancer diagnoses have hit a record high, with one person diagnosed every 80 seconds as a growing and ageing population drives cases higher.
Cancer Research UK found more than 403,000 people are diagnosed with the disease each year. People are more likely to develop cancer as they get older.
Michelle Mitchell, the charity’s chief executive, said: “More people are being diagnosed with cancer than ever before.
“Although cancer survival has doubled since the 1970s, progress has slowed over the last decade.
“The UK government’s recently published national cancer plan for England could make a big difference, but only if it turns into improvements for cancer patients.
“Publishing the plan is not a ‘job done’ on cancer: ambitions to diagnose cancers earlier, meet cancer wait targets and improve best practice treatment must happen quickly.”
The NHS is struggling to cope with rising demand for care. Cancer waiting times across the UK are among the worst on record, according to the report.
Cancer incidence, or the rate of new cases, has risen to 620 per 100,000 people from 610 a decade ago, partly driven by rising obesity.
The proportion of cases diagnosed early has barely changed, inching up from 54 per cent to 55 per cent.
There have been some major successes. Death rates have fallen, and the proportion of people surviving for a decade or more has risen.
But Cancer Research UK said this progress is now at risk of stalling, in part because of pressure on cancer services.
It said the government’s recent national cancer plan for England was a crucial step towards improving care, but there needed to be “funding and resources to translate ambition into impact”.
Cancer Research UK wants screening programmes such as lung cancer screening to be introduced widely and effectively, and the rollout of innovative cancer tests to be accelerated.
About 107,000 cancer patients waited more than 62 days to begin treatment across the UK in 2025, its report said.
The charity praised the government’s commitments to meet waiting time targets in England but said the situation was much worse in Northern Ireland and called for more investment across the UK in specialist staff and equipment.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We have delivered a record number of diagnostic tests in the last 12 months, backed by an extra £26bn for the NHS, and the number of patients getting a cancer diagnosis or all-clear on time is the highest in five years, but we are not complacent.
“Our national cancer plan sets out how patients will receive a diagnosis faster, treatment sooner and better support to live well with cancer, with the aim of 75 per cent of patients diagnosed from 2035 to be cancer-free or living well after five years.
“Our historic tobacco and vapes bill, which is due to come into law soon, will also protect future generations from cancer.”