Breast Cancer: Diagnosis

People presenting to their general practice (GP) with signs or symptoms that could indicate breast cancer may be referred on the suspected breast cancer referral pathway, or the breast symptoms referral pathway, depending on the details of their case. Suspected breast cancer contributes the highest number of referrals of any urgent suspected cancer pathway, with over 376,000 patients seen in 2023/24.

The National Health Service in England committed, in the NHS Long Term Plan, to provide faster diagnosis through the introduction of the Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS). The standard ensures that people are told they have cancer, or that cancer is ruled out, within 28 days from referral. This applies to the suspected breast cancer pathway and the breast symptoms pathway. Further information on the NHS Long Term Plan is available at the following link:

https://www.longtermplan.nhs.uk/

In March 2024, NHS England published the Breast Best Practice Timed Pathway Guidance to support the ongoing improvement effort to shorten diagnosis pathways, reduce variation, improve experience of care, and meet the FDS. The most recent data, for August 2024, shows that 90.4% of patients with suspected breast cancer receive a diagnosis or all-clear within 28 days of referral.

The Department does not hold data on the average time from women finding breast lumps to being referred for diagnostic tests. However, data from the 2023 Cancer Patient Experience Survey indicates that the majority of respondents diagnosed with breast cancer had spoken to a health professional at their GP about their symptoms only once before being diagnosed.