Claire Rowney, chief executive at Breast Cancer Now, said:
“These global trends are a stark reminder that the sheer scale of the challenge facing cancer is only set to grow.
“Breast cancer already devastates the lives of 55,000 women and 400 men in the UK each year - people with loved ones and hopes for the future. And if nothing changes, by 2040, 70,000 women will be diagnosed each year.
“Our recent ‘Cost of Breast Cancer: 2025’ report with Demos set out loud and clear that breast cancer is so far from a done deal - with far too many lives tragically being lost to the devastating disease. Now governments and policymakers across the UK must work to implement measures to improve the lives of those impacted by breast cancer.
“The upcoming National Cancer Plan in England is a crucial opportunity to deliver real, sustainable change for people with breast cancer and drive radical improvements in detection, treatment and care; we stand ready to work with the UK government and NHS to make this happen. We will remain relentless in our focus on realising our vision that by 2050, everyone with breast cancer will live and live well.”
ENDS