More than six million new cases of cancer could be diagnosed in England between now and 2040, charities have warned.
This is the equivalent of a person being diagnosed with the disease every two minutes, analysis suggests, up from every four minutes in the 1970s.
The projection by a coalition of 60 cancer charities, known as One Cancer Voice, comes as it calls on the Government to meet a number of measures such as setting early diagnosis targets and introducing strong prevention policies to ensure England is a world leader in tackling cancer in the coming years.
The research by One Cancer Voice suggests there have been 5.5 million cancer cases in the last 15 years.
New figures suggest there will be a 14.2% increase in the coming 15 years, with around 6.3 million cancer cases expected by 2040.
Regionally, the South East could see the biggest rise in diagnoses, with more than one million cases between now and 2040, the study claims.
This is followed by the North West, with 865,000 cases, the East of England and the South West with 722,000, and London with 714,000.
The analysis also found that cases of common cancers are expected to reach record highs.
In 15 years, there could be more than one million cases of prostate cancer diagnosed, as well as 906,000 cases of breast cancer and 821,000 cases of lung cancer, according to the coalition.
At the moment, it is estimated there are around 55,100 cases of prostate cancer diagnosed in the UK every year, with 56,800 cases of breast cancer and 49,200 cases of lung cancer.
And while survival rates have significantly improved since the 1970s, rising cases could put more pressure on an already overstretched health service, the charities warn.
Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK and One Cancer Voice representative, said: “Nearly one in two of us will be diagnosed with cancer in our lifetime – everyone will be impacted by the disease, whether they receive a diagnosis themselves, or have a friend, family member or loved one who does.”
In February, the Department of Health and Social Care launched a call for evidence to help shape a national cancer plan.
The blueprint is expected to be published later this year, which Ms Mitchell said could be a “defining moment”.
The coalition has called for the plan to meet six “tests” to make England a world-leader in cancer care.
These are:
– A pledge to meet all cancer waiting times by the end of Parliament in 2029– A new earlier diagnosis target, with improved screening programmes– The introduction of strong cancer prevention policies– Addressing inequalities in patient care– Improving access to clinical trials for cancer patients– Better support for people to live well with and beyond cancer
Ms Mitchell added: “The National Cancer Plan for England could be a defining moment.
“If the UK Government delivers an ambitious fully funded strategy, we could save more lives and transform cancer outcomes, propelling England from world lagging to among world leading when it comes to tackling this disease.
“Meeting these six tests will show how serious the UK Government is about improving cancer outcomes.
“We’ve seen progress before – now is the time to act again and make a difference for cancer patients.”
Professor Sir Mike Richards, former national cancer director at the Department of Health and chairman of the National Screening Committee, said: “Our previous NHS Cancer Plan was instrumental in improving cancer outcomes, and this one gives us a huge opportunity to make England one of the best countries in the world for cancer survival.
“But to make this happen it’s essential that the plan has consistent funding, so that the changes we know will save lives from cancer are able to be introduced.
“This will save money in the long term and ensure a better future for generations to come.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “This government is prioritising cancer care as we turn around more than a decade of neglect of our NHS.
“We’re already making an impact, 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. This will soon be supported by our new National Cancer Plan, setting out how cancer care will improve over the coming years.
“We’re also making it easier for people to get tests, checks and scans with DIY screening kits for cervical cancer, new radiotherapy machines in every region, and by creating the first smoke-free generation.”
