“ This is unacceptable – every one of these numbers is a family member, friend or loved one facing unbelievable stress and anxiety, where every day can feel like forever.
“ Waiting times for all cancer types have got worse over the last 10 years, but the situation is particularly bad for lung cancer. It’ s still the biggest cause of cancer death in England, affecting over 27,000 people each year. But there’ s more we can do to diagnose and treat it more effectively.”
The Government is developing a National Cancer Plan for England, which Harrison called“ a huge opportunity to tackle cancer waiting times”.
She said:“ If this plan sets out sufficient funding for staff and equipment, alongside reform, it will help the Government meet its pledge to hit cancer wait time targets by the end of this Parliament, and ultimately, help people to live longer, better lives.”
Officials pointed out that the 62-day cancer backlog – those waiting longer than 62 days for treatment – has fallen 56 per cent since its peak in the pandemic.
The latest rapid registration data also shows that 58.7 per cent of patients are having cancer diagnosed earlier as of October 2024. This means approximately 7,500 more people are being diagnosed at stage 1 and 2.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said:“ No patient should be left waiting for access to life-saving treatment, regardless of the type of cancer that they have. Through our Plan for Change, this government is transforming cancer care.
“ Already, 80,000 more people have had cancer diagnosed or ruled out between July 2024 and January 2025, and our Lung Screening Programme has led to over 3,000 more cancers being diagnosed at an earlier stage.
“ In February, we also saw the highest ever proportion of patients getting a cancer diagnosis or an all clear within four weeks.
“ But we know there is more to do and our National Cancer Plan will fight the disease on all fronts, through improving research, diagnosis, screening, treatment and prevention.”
https:// www. msn. com / en‐us / entertainment / news / in‐this‐moment‐returns‐to‐west‐virginia‐withhell‐hath‐no‐fury‐tour / ar‐AA1Egq0m? ocid = BingNewsSerp