MORE than 55,000 cancer patients have missed the two-month target for treatment since 2015.
Experts warn this is a dangerous time bomb. This is compounded by the Covid epidemic backlog.
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University College London estimated 40,000 people could be diagnosed late and 10,000 will die younger as a result of delays.
Cancer Research UK reported that thousands of people are suffering from terrifying waits and worse survival rates because the NHS is not meeting its waiting-time targets.
To confirm diagnosis and begin treatment, specialists should be able to see 85% of patients within 62 business days.
But the target hasn’t been hit for all of England since 2015. In July 2015, it was only 72%.
Not counting the 15% who are not within the target, 183,000 people waited longer than two months over the past six-years.
Michelle Mitchell, of CRUK, said: “These figures are a stark reminder that cancer services have been struggling for years.”