Blood and saliva tests to detect cancer before symptoms begin ‘could be part of NHS screening within a decade’
New 10-year plan includes test for more than 50 cancers
- The government has unveiled a new 10-year national cancer plan for England, aiming to revolutionise the detection and treatment of the disease.
- The plan proposes the widespread use of blood, urine, and saliva tests to detect over 50 cancers before symptoms manifest, with the ambition for these to become part of national screening programmes.
- It commits to meeting all cancer waiting time targets by March 2029, including ensuring 80 per cent of patients receive a diagnosis or all-clear within 28 days of an urgent referral.
- The strategy also focuses on developing personalised treatments, accelerating cancer vaccines, and providing every patient with a bespoke personal cancer plan.
- Health Secretary Wes Streeting, a cancer survivor, unveiled the plan, which additionally emphasises prevention, utilising the NHS app for care management, and improving hospital performance in cancer services.
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