The number of people diagnosed with cancer each year in the UK has increased by more than 25,000 in the last five years, new analysis from Macmillan Cancer Support shows.

Macmillan says that this increase is putting the NHS under more pressure than ever before.

The charity is calling for a clear and ambitious plan on how the NHS will develop a workforce that can meet the changing needs of a growing cancer population.

It’s vital that health and social care staff are equipped with the capacity, confidence, and skills to meet the rising demand and ensure that NHS cancer care is sustainable over the next five years and beyond.

New analysis shows:

• During 2015, 359,734 people in the UK received a cancer diagnosis, compared to 332,840 new cases in 2010.
• The number of people who have been diagnosed with cancer has increased by more than a third over the last two decades, with almost 100,000 more patients being delivered the news in 2015 compared with 1995

Lynda Thomas, Chief Executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, said “The NHS faces a huge challenge to provide the level of care, treatment and expertise cancer patients need as the unprecedented demand continues to increase. Going through cancer treatment is a nerve wracking and exhausting experience, and patients need the right healthcare professionals by their side. At a time when services are already stretched, doctors, nurses and medical professionals working in cancer care show incredible dedication and commitment to their roles. But the current pressures they face day to day are completely unsustainable in the long run."

“The next Government must ensure that health and social care staff are equipped with the capacity, confidence and skills so that the growing number of people with cancer get the best possible care and treatment they can.”

The rise in the number of people getting cancer is down to a number of factors including an increasing and ageing population - around two thirds of people diagnosed are over the age of 65.

There are also improved diagnostic tools available for medical professionals to pick up on cancer cases and deliver effective treatment when required.

Source: MacMillan Cancer Support