NHS figures show cancer diagnoses in England surpassed 1,000 a day for the first time in 2024, with more than 373,000 cases recorded, but experts warned that the health service continues to fall short of its targets for timely diagnosis and treatment.
New cancer registration statistics published by the NHS on Thursday show that 373,574 people were diagnosed with cancer in England in 2024, an average of 1,021 a day and up from 972 a day in 2023. Prostate, breast, lung and bowel cancers accounted for half of all new diagnoses, with prostate cancer the most common at 61,115 cases, an increase of 4.1 per cent on the previous year.
The figures also show some improvement in stage at diagnosis: 56.7 per cent of first new cancers were diagnosed at stage 1 or 2 in 2024, compared with 55.8 per cent in 2023.
Prof Peter Johnson, NHS national clinical director for cancer, said the figures showed the health service was “moving in the right direction” and were testimony to NHS staff’s hard work. He added that NHS teams are “taking tests and checks closer to the people who need them, and with new treatments being developed all the time, we will continue to do all we can to get people seen and treated for cancer as early as possible”.
However, the latest monthly NHS figures show that 78.6 per cent of patients in England urgently referred for suspected cancer were diagnosed or had cancer ruled out within 28 days in August 2026, below the target of 80 per cent. On treatment, only 71.9 per cent of patients began treatment within 62 days of an urgent referral or consultant upgrade, well below the target of 85 per cent. The 62-day target has not been met since 2015.
Dr Ian Walker, executive director of policy at Cancer Research UK, said: “While NHS staff are diagnosing more people with cancer every day, too many are still being caught at a late stage.” He said the UK government had pledged to improve early diagnosis, cancer waiting times and access to treatment in its national cancer plan for England, adding: “It now needs to keep its foot on the pedal to ensure cancer patients aren’t let down. The situation won’t change without focused effort from the government, clear accountability, and a guarantee that the NHS will get the specialist staff and equipment it needs.”
Dr Hilary Williams, clinical vice-president at the Royal College of Physicians and a consultant in medical oncology, described more than 1,000 cancer diagnoses every day as “a stark reminder of the growing demand on NHS cancer services”. She pointed to an ageing population and obesity as factors, and called for continued improvement in early detection, including expansion of targeted lung cancer screening.
Steven McIntosh, chief partnerships officer at Macmillan Cancer Support, said the figures also masked persistent health inequalities. “We know that who you are and where you live can still have a significant impact on how likely you are to get cancer, as well as how quickly you are diagnosed and your chances of survival,” he said.
Rachael Franklin, deputy chief executive of Breast Cancer Now, noted that breast cancer remains the biggest killer of working-age women in the UK, with one in seven women diagnosed in their lifetime. She urged people of all ages to be breast aware and eligible women to attend screening when invited.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The record number of daily diagnoses means NHS cancer services face increasing pressure to both detect and treat cases promptly, affecting patient outcomes and survival chances.
- Persistent failure to meet waiting-time targets (62-day target unmet since 2015) suggests systemic capacity issues that may worsen as diagnoses rise.
- The figures highlight the need for the UK government's national cancer plan to deliver on early diagnosis and treatment commitments, with clear accountability and resources.
Background
Cancer incidence in England has been rising for years due to an ageing population and lifestyle factors such as obesity. The NHS has statutory targets for timely diagnosis and treatment, but the 62-day treatment target has not been met for over a decade. The government published a national cancer plan for England in response, pledging to improve early diagnosis, waiting times and access to treatment.
Key Perspectives
Prof Peter Johnson (NHS national clinical director for cancer): Says the health service is “moving in the right direction” and credits NHS staff for diagnosing more people, with tests and checks being brought closer to communities.
Dr Ian Walker (Cancer Research UK): Warns too many cancers are still caught late and calls on the government to “keep its foot on the pedal” with focused effort, accountability and guaranteed specialist staff and equipment.
Dr Hilary Williams (Royal College of Physicians): Points to an ageing population and obesity as key drivers and urges expansion of targeted lung cancer screening alongside prevention.
Steven McIntosh (Macmillan Cancer Support): Says the figures mask health inequalities that affect who gets cancer and how quickly they are diagnosed, linked to where people live and their background.
Rachael Franklin (Breast Cancer Now): Highlights that breast cancer remains the biggest killer of working-age women and stresses the importance of breast awareness and screening attendance.
What to Watch
- Whether the government’s national cancer plan includes specific, near-term targets for reducing late-stage diagnoses and meeting treatment timelines.
- Future monthly NHS performance data to see if the 28-day and 62-day waiting times improve or deteriorate as caseload grows.
- Uptake rates for screening programmes, especially targeted lung cancer screening, as an indicator of early detection efforts.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 2 sources: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedCancer diagnoses in England exceeded 1,000 a day for the first time in 2024.The Independent UK: “It is the first time diagnoses have surpassed 1,000 a day, the NHS said.”
- SupportedMore than 373,000 people were diagnosed with cancer in England in 2024, a record.UK news | The Guardian: “more than 373,000 people were diagnosed with cancer in England in 2024, the highest figure on record.”
- SupportedExperts warned that the NHS was still failing to meet targets on diagnosis and treatment.UK news | The Guardian: “experts warned that although the health service was identifying more cases, it was still failing to meet timescale targets on diagnosis and treatment.”
- SupportedPeter Johnson said the figures showed the health service was “moving in the right direction” and were testimony to NHS staff’s hard work.UK news | The Guardian: “Prof Peter Johnson, the NHS national clinical director for cancer, said the figures showed the health service was “moving in the right direction” and were testimony to NHS staff’s hard work.”
- SupportedJohnson said NHS teams were taking tests and checks closer to people and would do all they could to get people seen and treated early.UK news | The Guardian: “NHS teams across the country are taking tests and checks closer to the people who need them, and with new treatments being developed all the time, we will continue to do all we can to get people seen and treated for cancer as early as possible.”
- SupportedIan Walker said too many people were still being caught with cancer at a late stage.UK news | The Guardian: ““While NHS staff are diagnosing more people with cancer every day, too many are still being caught at a late stage.””
- SupportedWalker said the government had pledged to improve early diagnosis, cancer waiting times and access to treatment, and called for focused effort, accountability and NHS staff and equipment.UK news | The Guardian: “The UK government pledged to improve early diagnosis, cancer waiting times and access to treatment in its national cancer plan for England. It now needs to keep its foot on the pedal to ensure cancer patients aren’t let down. The situation won’t change without focused effort from the government, clear accountability, and a guarantee that the NHS will get the specialist staff and equipment it needs.”
- SupportedHilary Williams called more than 1,000 cancer diagnoses a day “a stark reminder of the growing demand on NHS cancer services”.UK news | The Guardian: “More than 1,000 cancer diagnoses every day is a stark reminder of the growing demand on NHS cancer services.”
- SupportedMcIntosh said who people are and where they live can affect their likelihood of getting cancer, how quickly they are diagnosed and their chances of survival.UK news | The Guardian: ““We know that who you are and where you live can still have a significant impact on how likely you are to get cancer, as well as how quickly you are diagnosed and your chances of survival,” he said.”
- SupportedThere were 373,574 cancer diagnoses in England in 2024.The Independent UK: “Data published by the NHS on Thursday showed there were 373,574 new cancer diagnoses in 2024”
- SupportedIn August, 78.6% of urgently referred patients were diagnosed or had cancer ruled out within 28 days, below the 80% target.UK news | The Guardian: “78.6% of patients in England urgently referred for suspected cancer were diagnosed or had cancer ruled out within 28 days in August – below the target of 80%.”
- SupportedThe share of patients starting treatment within 62 days of an urgent referral or consultant upgrade was 71.9%, below the 85% target.UK news | The Guardian: “The proportion of patients who began treatment for cancer within 62 days of an urgent referral or consultant upgrade was 71.9%, well below the target of 85%.”
