Liver Cancer UK, part of the British Liver Trust, has joined One Cancer Voice, a coalition of 60 charities, to highlight the urgent need for the Government’s upcoming National Cancer Plan to prioritise diagnosis and treatment of cancers, including liver cancer, which are rising sharply.
Without proper investment, waiting times will remain high, treatments will be delayed, and lives will be lost unnecessarily.
There have been 5.5 million cases in the last 15 years, and this is projected to increase by 14.2% in the next 15 years, with 6.3 million cancer cases expected by 2040. Regionally, the south-east could have the biggest rise in diagnoses, with more than 1 million cases between now and 2040. This is followed by the north-west, with 865,000 cases, the east of England and the south-west with 722,000, and London with 714,000.
The new analysis finds there will be 119,000 liver cancer cases between now and 2040. This isn’t just a statistic. Behind every diagnosis is a person – a friend, a parent, a partner, or a child.
As the Government finalises the National Cancer Plan, which is expected to be published later this year, One Cancer Voice has outlined six clear tests that the plan must meet to ensure meaningful change.
The Plan must:
- Pledge to meet all cancer waiting times by the end of this parliament
- Outline a new earlier diagnosis target, alongside improvements to screening programmes and support for primary care so that fewer cancers are diagnosed at a later stage
- Deliver impactful policies to prevent cancer, including tackling some of the biggest risk factors
- Ensure every patient receives the best possible treatment and inequalities are addressed
- Improve access to clinical trials for cancer patients, and make the NHS the world leader for cancer research and development
- Support everyone to live well with and beyond cancer with practical and emotional support embedded in NHS cancer care
We are united with One Cancer Voice that this plan must be fully funded if it is to succeed.
Pamela Healy OBE, Chief Executive at the British Liver Trust, said
“This excellent and impactful analysis by One Cancer Voice, highlights that there will be 119,000 liver cancer cases between now and 2040.
“The emerging National Cancer Plan for England will be the defining policy piece for the next decade or more for cancer care. If the Government gets this right, it will save tens of thousands of lives lost to liver cancer. Sadly, the UK is lagging behind other comparable countries when it comes to tackling this disease.
“One Cancer Voices tests will make a real difference for liver cancer patients. With the necessary funding and an effective National Cancer Plan, waiting lists can be reduced and liver cancer survival improved – let’s turn the tide on liver cancer.”
Between now and 2040, it’s projected that around 63,300 new cancer cases will be diagnosed in children and young people aged 0-24 in England. Cancer death rates are almost 60% higher in the UK’s most deprived areas, with around 28,400 cancer deaths each year linked to socioeconomic inequality. It is essential that the National Cancer Plan delivers distinct actions for children and young people’s cancers, alongside adults, to address the unique aspects of cancer in younger people and socioeconomic inequalities in cancer.