In February, an average of 80.2% of people received their cancer diagnosis on time after an urgent referral. This is an improvement from 73.4% seen the month before.
This morning, NHS England has published the most recent statistics on cancer waiting times for February 2025. The statistics paint a positive picture, showing higher rates of patients diagnosed on time as well as receiving their first treatment within the planned timeframe.
Nonetheless, 50,000 people still experienced delayed cancer diagnosis in the month and the number of patients who did not receive their first definitive cancer treatment within the target increased by 0.3%.
In England, there are three cancer waiting times targets that Integrated Care Boards must aim to reach: the Faster Diagnosis Standard, 75% of people are to be diagnosed within 28 days of an urgent referral; the 31 days Decision to Treat Standard, 96% of people are to start treatment 31 days after doctors deciding a treatment plan; and the 62 day Referral to Treatment Standard, 85% of people should receive their diagnosis and have started their first treatment within 62 days.
In the second month of the year, three ICBs missed the Faster Diagnosis Standard, only four met the Decision to Treat Standard, and all missed the Referral to Treatment Standard. In January, the first target was missed by 25 Care Boards, whilst only one met the Decision to Treat Standard, and all missed the final target.
Regarding cancer types, breast and lung cancers were among the worst-performing. 31 ICBs missed the lung cancer diagnosis target, whilst 32 missed the breast cancer Decision to Treat Standard.
Polimapper’s visualisation shows indepth data on Cancer Waiting Times in England and reveals disparities between London and Northern regions.
In London, three Care Boards met the two first targets: North East, North West and South West London Care Boards. Conversely, the NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, alongside Mid and South Essex and Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin missed all targets. Explore detailed statistics in your area below.
About this map
In the map below, you can see the number and rate of cancer diagnosis and treatments by Standard type and Integrated Care Board.
To view statistics in your area double click on the map or click here to launch the full page version!
Once in an ICB page scroll down to explore in-depth data.
Geodata context
Organisations have welcomed improvements made on waiting times in the NHS, but urge government to maintain progress.
Sarah Scobie, deputy director of research at Nuffield Trust: “February saw some continued progress in driving down the waiting list for hospital care, with overall numbers of patients waiting for hospital treatment down by 17,000 and the total list of treatment waits falling by over 26,000 to 7.4m. Cancer treatment waits have also improved. This will offer some much-needed good news to the Government as it prepares to unveil its 10 Year Health plan.”
“But ministers face a real tightrope walk between making continued progress on waiting times – a key driver of dissatisfaction in the NHS – and fundamentally reforming the health service into one focused on care closer to home and preventing rather than treating ill health. Government’s new plan to re-structure the organisation of the NHS risks further distracting from changes patients will directly feel the benefit from.”
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, national medical director at NHS: “Today’s figures are yet more evidence of signs of genuine progress across a range of services and thanks to the ambitious elective reform plan, the NHS and the government are determined to continue on this trajectory for the benefit of patients.”
“It is fantastic to see that a record proportion of people have received vital results from cancer checks within the four-week standard, despite more people continuing to come forward, helping to give people clarity with that all-important diagnosis so they can plan next steps in terms of treatment or the relief of the all clear.”
“Despite services facing the busiest March ever in A&E and for ambulance incidents, staff continue to bring down waits for urgent and emergency care, but we know there is much more to do to reduce waits and delays across all NHS services.”