As part of the long-term plan for the NHS, a package of measures
will be rolled out across the country with the aim of seeing 3
out of 4 of all cancers detected at an early stage by 2028.
The plan will:
- overhaul screening programmes
- provide new investment in state-of-the-art technology to
transform the process of diagnosis
- boost research and innovation
Screening programmes will be made more accessible and easier to
use. They will be based on the latest breakthrough research and
technology. Those at risk will be able to benefit from options
including:
- new tests for bowel cancer
- mobile lung screening units
- the roll-out of rapid diagnostic centres across the country
with same-day testing
Patients diagnosed early, at stages 1 or 2, have the best chance
of long-term survival. For example, 96% of people with colorectal
cancer diagnosed at stage 1 will survive one year or more,
compared with 46% diagnosed at stage 4.
At present, 52% of the top 10 cancers are diagnosed at stages 1
and 2. The government aims to increase this to 75% by 2028.
As part of the new measures the government will:
- use artificial intelligence (AI) to better target at-risk
populations and bring screening closer to home
- lower the recommended starting age for bowel cancer screening
from 60 to 50 and adopt a new easier to use test (the Faecal
Immunochemical Test) which detects cancer at an earlier stage
- speed up access to ground-breaking treatments with quicker
translation of new breakthroughs into practice, through
investment in world-leading cancer research centres
Funding for today’s announcement will be allocated through NHS
England’s long-term plan.
