Key facts
- Prostate, breast, lung and bowel cancers accounted for half of all new cancer diagnoses in England in 2024, the figures showed.
- Prof Peter Johnson, NHS national clinical director for cancer, said the figures showed the health service was "moving in the right direction".
- Dr Ian Walker of Cancer Research UK said too many cancers are still caught at a late stage and urged the government to keep up its effort.
- Dr Hilary Williams of the Royal College of Physicians cited an ageing population and obesity as factors in the rise in diagnoses.
- Steven McIntosh of Macmillan Cancer Support said the figures masked persistent health inequalities by who people are and where they live.
- Rachael Franklin of Breast Cancer Now said breast cancer remains the biggest killer of working age women in the UK.
NHS England diagnosed more than 373,000 people with cancer in 2024, the highest number on record, according to cancer registration statistics reported on November 5, 2026. That averaged 1,021 diagnoses a day, up from 972 a day in 2023. Prostate, breast, lung and bowel cancers accounted for half of all new diagnoses.
The figures showed improvement in how early cancers were found: 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 credited NHS staff. He said teams were taking tests and checks closer to the people who need them.
Experts urged caution because the health service is missing its timescale targets. The latest monthly NHS figures show 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 80% target. The share who began treatment within 62 days of an urgent referral or consultant upgrade was 71.9%, well below the 85% target.
Dr Ian Walker, executive director of policy at Cancer Research UK, said too many cancers are still caught at a late stage. He said the UK government pledged in its national cancer plan for England to improve early diagnosis, waiting times and access to treatment, and now needs to keep its foot on the pedal, with focused effort, clear accountability and a guarantee of specialist staff and equipment.
Dr Hilary Williams, clinical vice-president at the Royal College of Physicians and a consultant in medical oncology, said an ageing population is an important factor in the rise, alongside obesity, which she called a major and often overlooked risk factor. She said the NHS also needed to keep improving early detection, including expanding targeted lung cancer screening.
Steven McIntosh, chief partnerships officer at Macmillan Cancer Support, said the figures masked persistent health inequalities, with who you are and where you live still affecting the likelihood of getting cancer, how quickly it is diagnosed and chances of survival. Rachael Franklin, deputy chief executive of Breast Cancer Now, said breast cancer remains the biggest killer of working age women in the UK, with one in seven women diagnosed in their lifetime, and urged eligible women to attend screening.