Cancer screening will not return to pre-pandemic levels, a charity has warned
A healthcare charity has raised the alarm over a fall in the number of people taking up cancer screening offers, as figures show how effective the tests are at detecting cancer early.
According to an analysis by Cancer Research UK (CRUK), breast, bowel and cervical cancer screening programs collectively detected almost 90,000 cases of cancer between 2019 and 2023.
This includes 62,000 cases of breast cancer, 23,000 cases of colon cancer and 4,400 cases of cervical cancer.
But the charity raised concerns about declining uptake of breast and cervical cancer screening tests.
Approximately 70% of eligible people take up the offer for colon cancer screening, 69% of those invited participate in cervical cancer screening and 65% participate in breast cancer screening.
The charity said the number of people taking up the offer to check their breasts has not yet reached pre-pandemic levels, with 71.1% taking up the offer in 2019.
Cervical cancer screening has steadily declined over the past decade – from 74.2% in 2014 to 68.7% in 2023.
CRUK has called for action to make screening more easily accessible to people in England, for example by allowing people to book out of hours.
The charity’s chief executive, Michelle Mitchell, said increasing access to screening “means better chances of catching cancer early”.
The NHS target of diagnosing 75% of all cancers at an early stage (stage 1 or 2) by 2028 is “not on target”, but improving screening will be “critical” to achieving this target achieve, the report said.
Mitchell said:
By making screening more digital and improving data collection to know who does and does not report, we can focus on people who are currently missing their appointment, but would still like to attend. This is essential: better access to screening means better chances of detecting cancer early.”
CRUK senior health information manager, Dr. Claire Knight, added: “The three screening programs are available to different groups of people – you can see if you are eligible on the NHS website. If you are registered with a GP, you will be automatically invited for screening for most people, but if in doubt, contact your doctor.
“Your screening invitation also contains information about the process. Make sure you read this before deciding whether to attend.
“However, it is important to remember that cancer screening is for people without symptoms. If you notice changes that are not normal, do not wait for your next screening invitation, contact your doctor. It probably won’t be cancer, but if it is, catching it early means treatment is likely to be successful.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “When it comes to the fight against cancer, every second counts and as these figures show, our screening programs are detecting thousands of cases.
“We urge everyone to accept the offer of screening as early diagnosis leads to more effective treatment and can save lives.
“As part of our Plan for Change, we will fit the NHS for the future and fight cancer on all fronts – through prevention, faster diagnosis, treatment and research.”