Cancer patients waiting over 104 days for treatment as data shows the NHS trusts failing to meet crucial target

Nearly all NHS trusts across England are failing to meet a crucial cancer treatment target, with some of the poorest performing trusts only managing to treat around half of their patients within the stipulated timeframe.

New data reveals significant disparities between trusts, with some individuals enduring waits exceeding 104 days.

The long-established NHS benchmark mandates that 85 per cent of cancer patients should commence treatment within 62 days of their referral. However, this national target has not been achieved since 2014. In response to the ongoing challenges, the government has set an interim goal for this figure to reach 75 per cent by March 2026.

The new analysis of NHS England figures shows just three of 119 acute trusts with comparable data hit or surpassed the 85% target last year, while only around a quarter made it above 75%.

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Source: The Independent, 25 February 2026