With an ambitious goal to save 320,000 more lives by 2035, the newly released strategy sets out what the next decade of cancer care and support will look like.
From the outset, key ambitions include:
- Becoming a global leader in cancer survival by 2035,
- Enhancing the overall quality of life for people living with cancer,
- And meeting the Cancer Waiting Time standards by the end of this Parliament.
The National Cancer Plan: Why Change is Needed
When it comes to cancer, early diagnosis is a necessity.
Cancer mortality rates in the UK are much higher than in other, comparable countries, while survival is lower. Early diagnosis rates were flat for nearly a decade beginning in 2013 – and have only recently started to increase. And since 2014, the headline cancer performance standard – that 85% of patients should start treatment within 62 days – has been missed with impunity.
However, the new plan is setting out to revolutionize the field for the better, and science and innovation will be the engine of the country's reinvention.
Thanks to advances in data, genomics, and predictive analytics, we’re moving toward cancer care that’s proactive rather than reactive, designed around each person’s individual risk. Tests like liquid biopsies, which analyze blood for subtle biomarkers, along with new breath, saliva, and urine diagnostics, could allow us to detect a range of cancers much earlier.
The goal is to begin care before a patient even knows they need it, rather than after long, anxious waits for answers.
And a monumental part of this progress will be the implementation of AI and automation to boost productivity, the use of digital pathways and technology to end outpatients as we currently know it, and the use of innovation to speed up treatment decisions.
We will use the 10 Year Health Plan’s 5 ‘big bets’ on innovation – data, AI, genomics, robotics and wearables – to transform the care pathway, while also freeing up staff capacity and ‘time to care’.
With the help of such digital tools, it will mean that three in every four people diagnosed with cancer in 2035 will be cancer-free or living well with cancer after 5 years. That will translate into 320,000 more lives saved over the course of the plan, and will be the fastest rate of improvement this century.
Research and Innovation Priorities in AI, Automation, and Robotics
As emphasized through the plan itself, research, development, and innovation will be key enablers of progress. And when it comes to AI, automation, and robotics, we are seeing some practical, precision tools being developed and implemented in a way that can genuinely shift the dial on cancer care.
To that end, here’s where the focus lies:
- Smarter diagnosis with AI
- Robotic surgery
- Faster pathology
- Liquid biopsies and ctDNA testing
- Removing Administrative Silos
Smarter Diagnosis With AI
Artificial intelligence is being woven into the process of early cancer detection, particularly in radiology and pathology. Specifically, AI algorithms trained on thousands of lung scans are now able to assist clinicians in identifying subtle nodules on chest X-rays and CT scans, nodules that might otherwise be missed.
It is important to note that these tools don’t replace radiologists but serve as highly sensitive second readers, flagging abnormalities earlier and more consistently.
Digitizing imaging services by deploying MRI scanners with AI acceleration technology, which will add capacity for 154,000 additional scans to March 2029, and reducing repeat tests through image sharing
Beyond imaging, AI is being used to prioritize referrals, predict cancer risk based on patient history, and triage cases for urgent review.
In gastrointestinal cancer pathways, for instance, the integration of AI into the diagnostic process has helped improve Faster Diagnosis Standard performance by identifying which patients are most likely to benefit from immediate testing. And it is this increased precision that makes all the difference.
Robotic Surgery
Robotic-assisted surgery is already being used in NHS hospitals, but its wider adoption is a key pillar of the National Cancer Plan.
For certain cancers, such as prostate, cervix, oropharynx, and rectum, robotic systems allow surgeons to operate with greater dexterity and control in confined anatomical spaces.
Compared to traditional open or even laparoscopic procedures, robotic surgery often results in less blood loss, lower infection risk, reduced postoperative pain, and faster recovery. The plan will introduce a national registry for robotic surgeries and new training standards to ensure that clinical outcomes remain consistent across institutions.
The goal is not to replace human skill, but to augment it, using technology to make highly complex procedures more precise and more widely available.
By 2035, half a million procedures will use robotic surgery, up from just 70,000 in 2023-4.
Faster Pathology
Cancer diagnosis is reliant on the microscopic analysis of tissue. But the bottleneck comes after the biopsy, when the sample must be processed, stained, reviewed, and reported. Delays here can slow the entire care pathway. That’s where digital pathology and automation are offering improvement.
Through high-resolution digital scanning, pathologists will now be able to examine tissue slides remotely and even leverage AI to assist with identifying malignancies, mitotic rates, or tumor margins.
Histopathology labs will also receive upgrades in automation. This will mean faster sample preparation and reduced backlog. With investment in these technologies, the NHS aims to report 98 % of cancer-related histopathology results within 10 days, up from a current average of 68 %.
Increase productivity by transitioning to digital and robotic automation-enabled histopathology pathways, with AI further enhancing capability. We estimate our investment in digital combined with this automation will deliver up to a 21% productivity gain.
Liquid Biopsies and ctDNA Testing
Liquid biopsy is one of the most promising areas of cancer diagnostics. By analyzing blood samples for circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) - small fragments of DNA shed by cancer cells - clinicians can detect genetic mutations, track treatment response, and even identify early relapse.
In lung cancer, ctDNA testing can return results up to two weeks faster than tissue-based genotyping, allowing patients to begin targeted therapies without delay. In colorectal and breast cancers, ctDNA can detect molecular signs of recurrence long before symptoms or imaging changes appear. These tests are particularly valuable when a traditional biopsy is unsafe or infeasible due to tumor location or patient condition.
The plan will expand access to liquid biopsy across more cancer types, subject to clinical validation. The aim is to make personalized treatment practical and timely.
Removing Administrative Silos
Behind every cancer diagnosis is a system that must function smoothly. That system spans a patient's complete cancer journey, from scheduling scans and processing test results to ensuring timely follow-up. When any part of that system breaks down, patients are left waiting, and in cancer care, waiting can cost lives.
The National Cancer Plan addresses this head-on by streamlining the infrastructure that underpins care delivery.
One standout example is Greater Manchester’s Single Queue Diagnostics (SQD) program, which coordinates diagnostic capacity across multiple hospitals using real-time scheduling. Instead of patients being tied to the availability of a single trust, the system finds the earliest appointment across the region. The results so far have meant that over 17,000 diagnostic pathway days have been saved in just one year.
On the frontline, automation is stepping in to reduce the burden of administrative tasks. Technologies like ambient voice transcription are being introduced to help clinicians capture and structure notes in real time, freeing them to focus more on patients than paperwork. Smart scheduling systems will also be used to help support more efficient booking of appointments and follow-ups, improving both speed and accuracy.
By 2028, the NHS App will also evolve into a central hub for cancer care. It will allow patients to manage their screening invites, view test results, track their treatment plan, and even access personalized risk profiles. It’s a shift toward a more coordinated, transparent system, where information flows.
National Cancer Plan | Built By The Cancer Community
Conclusion
What ultimately sets the National Cancer Plan apart is its recognition that research and technology are no longer peripheral to cancer care. Instead, they are becoming its organizing principles.
Advances in AI, automation, genomics, and data infrastructure are reshaping how decisions are made, how quickly patients move through pathways, and how precisely treatments can be targeted. The Plan’s significance lies in its intent to move these capabilities out of pilot programs and into routine, system-wide use.
Crucially, this is not innovation for innovation’s sake.
The focus is on scalable technologies. From AI-assisted diagnostics and digital pathology to liquid biopsies and robotic systems, the plan reflects a shift toward tools that can reduce uncertainty, compress timelines, and support clinicians in delivering more consistent care. When embedded effectively, these technologies have the potential to turn cancer services from reactive and capacity-constrained into anticipatory and adaptive.
The coming decade will test whether the NHS can act as both a healthcare provider and an innovation platform, capable of translating research breakthroughs into everyday clinical impact.
If it succeeds, the result will be a cancer care system that learns faster, responds earlier, and continuously improves, driven by evidence, enabled by technology, and focused on outcomes that matter to patients.
Additional Resources
If you are interested in exploring the research and technology underpinning the National Cancer Plan, the following resources provide further detail and context: