Leukaemia: Diagnosis

The Government recognises that timely access to diagnostic tests is an important part of early and faster cancer diagnosis, including for blood cancers. The National Cancer Plan sets out the Government’s commitment to improve earlier diagnosis and faster treatment for cancer patients, including those with leukaemia.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance, Suspected cancer: recognition and referral, supports the identification of children, young people and adults with symptoms that could be caused by cancer. The guideline recommends that people with specific symptoms should be offered a very urgent full blood count to assess for leukaemia.

To support earlier diagnosis of blood cancers, the National Health Service is also implementing non-specific symptom pathways for patients who present with symptoms such as weight loss and fatigue, which do not clearly align to a tumour type. Blood cancers are one of the most common cancer types diagnosed through these pathways.

NHS England continues to work to improve timely access to diagnostic services, including pathology and blood testing, as part of wider efforts to increase diagnostic capacity and reduce waiting times across the system.