NHS staff shortages are undermining targets for faster cancer diagnosis, warns charity

The government’s failure to adequately boost NHS staffing levels is undermining its ambition12 to diagnose more cancers at an earlier stage, a leading charity has warned.

An analysis3 by Cancer Research UK released on 2 September estimates that around 115 000 patients with cancer each year in England are diagnosed too late to give them the best chance of survival, with nearly half of all cancers diagnosed at stage 3 or 4.

Of these, around 67 000 people are diagnosed at stage 4—the most advanced stage—which leaves patients with fewer treatment options and less chance of …