Thousands of cancer patients could survive an extra six months at least if the government met its own performance targets for the disease, a leading cancer charity has said.
Research by Macmillan Cancer Support has found 64,000 people in the UK diagnosed with cancer over the next five years could live half a year longer if they were referred and treated within the target periods of 31 and 62 days respectively.
Anyone with cancer should receive their first treatment within a month of the decision to treat after the diagnosis, which is known as the 31-day decision to treatment standard.
Patients who receive a cancer diagnosis should start treatment within nine weeks from the date of referral, known as the 62-day referral to treatment standard.
Working with health analytics company, LCP, the charity found around 58,000 people in England with the illness would survive an extra six months or more if the 62-day target was met by December 2024.
In Scotland, around 1,200 cancer patients would live an extra six months or more if the same target was met by September 2026.
Around 1,800 people in Wales with cancer would survive an extra half a year or more if the two-month goal was achieved for 80% of patients by March 2026.
In Northern Ireland, around 2,700 people with cancer would have an extra six months or more if the 62-day target was met by December 2026.
Rather than improving against the targets, all four countries’ performances have been getting worse, the study found, with all of them setting new worst records for monthly or quarterly performance during 2023.
More than one in four (29%) people who have been diagnosed with cancer in the past two years and have experienced delays said that they believe this has led to their cancer getting worse, causing many “to put their entire lives on hold”.
Claire Coxsell, 35, from Portsmouth, was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in March and was referred to breast services at her local hospital but didn’t start treatment until 88 days later, more than three weeks outside the 62-day target.
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Ms Coxsell said: “I started my treatment on 30 May, more than 12 weeks (about 3 months) after referral despite being told I was a priority.
“A few days delay feels like years. And while I understand a few days won’t necessarily change whether I live or die, cumulative days here and there add up to weeks and months – and that is where a difference can be made.”
The “agonising” waits patients face are indicative of a “system in crisis”, Steven McIntosh, Macmillan executive director of advocacy & communications, said, calling the situation “unacceptable and entirely avoidable”.
He said: “Politicians, what are you waiting for? You’ve pledged to cut waiting lists and we need to see this taken seriously.”
Researchers used published peer-reviewed academic research that estimated the impact of four-week delays from a cancer diagnosis to first treatment on people’s survival to reach their conclusions.