Progress in cancer survival rates across the UK has “slowed down”, experts have warned, as a new study reveals the disparity in outcomes between the most and least deadly forms of the disease is wider than ever before. Researchers are now calling for a national cancer plan, deeming it “essential” to “bring cancer survival trends back towards the best in the world”.
The comprehensive study, led by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and funded by Cancer Research UK, meticulously analysed long-term trends in the cancer survival index (CSI) for adults across England and Wales. Covering the period from 1971 to 2018, the research utilised records from the National Disease Registration Service for England and the Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit, estimating net survival for up to 10 years after diagnosis for approximately 10.8 million people.
In 2018, the CSI for all cancers combined a decade after diagnosis stood at 49.8 per cent – a figure hailed as “remarkable” by researchers, surpassing the one-year CSI for those diagnosed in 1971/72. However, the study highlighted a concerning trend: the “speed of improvement in survival has slowed down”. Between 2000/01 and 2005/06, the 10-year CSI saw a 4 per cent rise, from 41.2 per cent to 45.2 per cent. Yet, in the subsequent period from 2010/11 to 2015/16, this increase dwindled to just 1.4 per cent, reaching 49.3 per cent.
Significant disparities in survival rates were also identified across different cancer types. For instance, 10-year survival for testicular cancer was 97 per cent, starkly contrasting with just 4.3 per cent for pancreatic cancer. While screening programmes have bolstered survival rates for breast, bowel, and cervical cancers, progress for other types, including stomach, lung, and brain cancer, has seen only marginal increases over the past five decades. Writing in the Lancet Regional Health – Europe, the researchers concluded that this slowdown for individual cancers implied a “system-wide challenge”.
Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, commented: “Thanks to research, most patients today are far more likely to survive their cancer than at any point in the past. But the reality is that this progress is slowing – and for some cancers, it never got going in the first place.”
Michel Coleman, a professor of epidemiology and statistics at LSHTM, underscored the urgency: “Since I began my career in cancer research, I’ve seen substantial increases in survival for most types of cancer. Our understanding of cancer biology has expanded, effective screening programmes have been introduced, and new treatments have been developed. Allowing this trend to stall will have devastating consequences.” He added: “This study was only possible because of data on millions of patients from cancer registries in England and Wales. It’s vital that the Government provides the political and financial support to ensure we maintain this crucial data. Without these, the Government will be flying blind on cancer control. The National Cancer Plan is a chance to improve NHS cancer pathways and reap the benefits of new research – the Government must take it.”
Cancer Research UK is advocating for the national cancer plan to address unacceptable delays by slashing waiting times for diagnosis and treatment. They also call for improved early diagnosis, boosted participation in existing screening programmes, and a commitment to fully rolling out lung cancer screening in England by 2029.
The Government launched a call for evidence in February to help shape a national cancer plan, aiming to outline actions to transform disease treatment and reduce deaths. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson stated: “We are prioritising cancer care as we turn around more than a decade of neglect of our NHS. We’re already seeing progress, with 95,000 more people having cancer diagnosed or ruled out within 28 days between July 2024 and May 2025, compared to the same period the previous year. The National Cancer Plan will set out how we will improve survival rates further and address the variation between different cancer types.”
