Early Diagnosis

The Northern Cancer Alliance’s early diagnosis programme has the ambition to achieve cancer survival rates comparable with the best-performing developed nations.

We understand that addressing inequalities in health is central to achieving better survival, and our work programme includes community and clinical activities designed to meet the needs of all our communities.

“Cancer survival is the highest it’s ever been and thousands more people now survive cancer every year. For patients diagnosed in 2015, one year survival was 72% – over 11 percentage points higher than in 2000. Despite this progress, one of the biggest actions the NHS can take to improve cancer survival is to diagnose cancer earlier. Patients diagnosed early, at stages 1 and 2, have the best chance of curative treatment and long-term survival”. NHS Long Term Plan January 2021

We want to see more people living with and beyond cancer – and to do this we need to spread understanding of everyday lifestyle choices that help to prevent cancer; increase awareness of worrying signs and symptoms and support people to seek help from their doctor at an early stage.

We work with a wide range of organisations and partners – from small community-based projects to large providers of health and social care services – because cancer is everybody’s business. We encourage plain speaking – not to worry but to inform, because no-one should die of ignorance.

Our message to all visitors to this website is to be cancer-aware, and if you are worried about symptoms – tell your GP.

The pages within the Early Diagnosis section explain some of our major pieces of work, and include links to more detailed information and advice where this might be helpful.