[Editorial] Safe and effective cancer care: how long must we wait?

In January, 2024, a new analysis by the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce found that the UK has some of the worst cancer survival among countries of similar wealth and income. In a ranking of 5-year survival in 33 countries, the UK was placed 16th for liver cancer, 21st for oesophageal cancer, 25th for brain cancer, 26th for pancreatic cancer, and 28th for lung and stomach cancers, and only 16% of patients with these six cancers in the UK are expected to survive beyond 5 years. Relatedly, in 2023, waiting times for cancer treatment in England were documented as the worst on record.