A new analysis by Cancer Research UK revealed that in 2024, 74,000 cancer patients didn’t start their treatment on time.

That’s enough people to fill the O2 arena almost four times over.

The proportion of patients in England starting cancer treatment within 62 days of an urgent suspected cancer referral has plummeted over the last decade, from 83.9% in 2014 to 62.2% in 2024.

More than 50 cancer charities have come together as Once Cancer Voice to call on the UK Government to provide funding and reform in the upcoming National Cancer Plan for England so cancer patients are diagnosed and start their treatment quicker.

With an ageing and growing population, the challenge facing cancer services is only set to increase. There will be around 2.2 million new cancer cases diagnosed in the UK between 2024 and 2029 – this is over 20% more cases than in the previous five years.

One Cancer Voice is calling on the UK Government to equip the NHS to deal with this, to avoid more and more people waiting too long to start their cancer treatment.

Read the Cancer Research UK press release on their website here

Read the One Cancer Voice press release here: OCV press release 13 February 2025