Blood Cancer: Diagnosis and Medical Treatments
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of greater reference to blood cancer diagnosis and treatment pathways in upcoming cancer policy documents.
Answered by Karin Smyth
The National Cancer Plan for England, released on 4 February 2026, sets out a commitment to diagnose cancers earlier and ensure people receive timely, effective treatment. The government is committed to helping the National Health Service to detect cancers, including blood cancers, earlier and provide faster treatment to improve outcomes.
While there has been no separate assessment of the benefits of including blood cancer pathways in future policy documents, the National Cancer Plan for England outlines actions to improve outcomes for all cancer patients, including those diagnosed with blood cancer. These include expanding faster access to diagnostic tests, improving treatment turnaround times, and ensuring patients benefit from the latest innovations and technologies.
The NHS in England now uses non‑specific symptom pathways for people presenting with symptoms such as unexplained weight loss, fatigue or general illness that do not point to a particular cancer type. These pathways are especially important for detecting blood cancers, which often present with vague or non‑specific symptoms.
In addition, ongoing investment in diagnostic capacity, including new magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scanners, will support the NHS in England to diagnose all cancers, including blood cancers, earlier and ensure patients can begin treatment as quickly as possible.
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