The British health system, the NHS, is failing to achieve key targets for cancer treatment.
According to official data, some patients have been forced to wait more than 104 days from emergency referral to the start of treatment – a delay that is considered serious and unacceptable.
NHS England data shows that almost all hospitals failed to ensure that 85 percent of patients were treated within 62 days by 2025. Performance varied significantly from one hospital to another, but in some of them less than half of patients were treated on time.
Experts warn that these delays risk significantly reducing the chances of survival, can make treatment less effective and increase anxiety in patients. The target of 85 percent within 62 days has not been met nationally since 2014.
After the Covid-19 pandemic hit, the British government set an interim target: that at least 75 percent of patients would be treated within this timeframe. However, only a handful of facilities achieved this level, and even fewer met the 85 percent standard.
In some hospitals, at least one in six patients who started cancer treatment in December 2025 had waited over 104 days from emergency referral – a situation considered critical.
Cancer Research UK reacted strongly to the figures. Its chief executive, Michelle Mitchell, stressed that every cancer patient deserves quality, timely care, adding that while NHS staff are working under enormous pressure, the current delays are unacceptable. She stressed that without serious investment in staff and equipment, the target of meeting standards by 2029 is unattainable.
Nationally, only 69.1 per cent of patients in England started treatment within 62 days last year – a slight improvement on the previous year, but still far short of the official target.
The NHS is struggling to maintain sustained progress in reducing cancer waiting times, according to the Nuffield Trust. Experts say the UK lags behind other European countries in cancer treatment outcomes due to a lack of long-term investment, staff and diagnostic equipment.
However, there is hope in the use of new digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, to speed up diagnosis. But experts warn that turning Britain into a leader in cancer care takes time, significant resources and sustained commitment.
For its part, the NHS says it is treating a record number of cancer patients and that most are diagnosed or ruled out within four weeks. However, it admits that many patients still face long waits for their first treatment. Poorly performing facilities say they are working to improve services and treat more patients faster. /GazetaExpress/
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