Cancer care in the UK “lags behind” other countries which have dedicated plans to tackle the disease, experts have warned.
In a new commentary piece, experts argue that without the government prioritising a cancer plan “more patients will undoubtedly die” from the disease.
The UK “lags far behind other nations worldwide in relation to consistency of cancer policy”, according to the group of cancer doctors.
They said countries like Denmark, France and Norway have consistent plans regarding the disease.
Mark Lawler, lead author of the piece published in the Lancet Oncology journal and chair of the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership, said: “We’re at a critical moment for cancer care in the UK.
“It is utterly incomprehensible that a country like ours does not have a dedicated cancer plan. The current government may have inherited this problem from the last one, but it’s like being handed a ticking time bomb.
“Our research shows that countries with dedicated cancer plans and consistently implemented policies achieve better survival rates.
“If there was ever a time to act and ensure the UK leads in cancer care rather than lagging behind, it is now.”
The latest figures for NHS England show that some 76.3% of patients urgently referred for suspected cancer in June were diagnosed or had cancer ruled out within 28 days – above the target of 75%.
But it is only the fourth time this target has been exceeded since it was introduced in autumn 2021.
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The proportion of patients in England waiting no longer than 62 days in June from an urgent suspected cancer referral or consultant upgrade to their first definitive treatment for cancer was 67.4% – up in comparison to May but still far from the 85% target.
The commentary piece suggests this means there are “over one in three people waiting more than 62 days for their vital cancer treatment”, meaning there is an “increased risk of dying unnecessarily of this disease”.
The experts also highlighted that the UK is at “risk of losing its global cancer research reputation”.
“We’re at the bottom of the cancer league tables, and delays to cancer care remain alarmingly high,” said co-author Professor Pat Price, a co-founder of the Catch Up With Cancer campaign.
“Whatever action [the government] takes, a new cancer plan to get us out of this mess must be at the top of the agenda.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said the government is determined to change how long cancer patients wait for treatment.
“As part of our mission to get the NHS back on its feet, we will improve cancer survival rates by hitting all cancer waiting time targets within five years, and double the number of MRI and CT scanners so no patient waits longer than they should,” they said.
“We have also commissioned Lord Darzi to establish the state of the nation’s health service and his findings will inform our 10-year plan to radically reform the NHS.”