Cancer diagnoses in England hit record high of more than 1,000 people a day

Cancer diagnoses in England have hit record highs, with more than 1,000 people a day diagnosed, NHS figures show.

But experts warned that although the health service was identifying more cases, it was still failing to meet timescale targets on diagnosis and treatment.

According to the latest cancer registration statistics, more than 373,000 people were diagnosed with cancer in England in 2024, the highest figure on record. On average, NHS England diagnosed 1,021 people a day with cancer in 2024, up from 972 a day in 2023.

Prostate, breast, lung and bowel cancers accounted for half of all new diagnoses.

The figures showed improvements in stage at diagnosis: 56.7% of first new cancers were diagnosed at stage 1 and 2 in 2024 compared with 55.8% in 2023.

Prof Peter Johnson, the NHS national clinical director for cancer, said the figures showed the health service was “moving in the right direction” and were testimony to NHS staff’s hard work.

He said: “NHS teams across the country are taking tests and checks closer to the people who need them, and with new treatments being developed all the time, we will continue to do all we can to get people seen and treated for cancer as early as possible.”

Experts urged caution, however, given the NHS is failing to meet its timescale targets. The latest monthly NHS figures show that 78.6% of patients in England urgently referred for suspected cancer were diagnosed or had cancer ruled out within 28 days in August – below the target of 80%.

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Source: The Guardian, 5 November 2026