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One person diagnosed with cancer every 80 seconds in UK, report reveals
TL;DR
In the UK, one person is diagnosed with cancer every 80 seconds, with over 403,000 cases annually. The NHS faces challenges in managing rising demand for cancer care amid worsening waiting times.
Key points
- One person diagnosed with cancer every 80 seconds in the UK
- Over 403,000 cancer diagnoses annually
- Cancer incidence rates increased to 620 per 100,000 people
- NHS facing challenges with rising demand for cancer care
- Proportion of early diagnoses has barely changed
The number of people in the UK being diagnosed with cancer has reached a record high, with one person diagnosed every 80 seconds, a report reveals.
Cancer Research UK found that more than 403,000 people were being diagnosed with the disease each year, largely due to a growing and ageing population, as people are more likely to develop cancer as they get older.
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.
Incidences have risen to 620 per 100,000 people, from 610 a decade ago, partly driven by rising obesity levels. The proportion of cases diagnosed early has barely changed, inching up from 54% to 55%.
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 was now at risk of stalling, in part due to 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”.
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.”
Cancer Research UK wants screening programmes such as for lung cancer 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 times 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.
Q&A
What is the current cancer diagnosis rate in the UK?
One person is diagnosed with cancer every 80 seconds in the UK, totaling over 403,000 diagnoses each year.
How have cancer incidence rates changed in the UK over the last decade?
Cancer incidence rates have increased from 610 to 620 per 100,000 people in the last decade.
What factors are contributing to the rise in cancer diagnoses in the UK?
The rise in cancer diagnoses is largely attributed to a growing and ageing population, alongside increasing obesity levels.
What challenges is the NHS facing regarding cancer care?
The NHS is struggling to cope with rising demand for cancer care, leading to some of the worst cancer waiting times on record.
