Earlier cancer diagnosis and faster treatment are being promised under a government plan in England to ensure three quarters of patients are surviving cancer for at least five years by 2035.
Ministers say the ambition in their 10-year cancer strategy published on Wednesday will herald the fastest improvement in cancer outcomes this century.
Latest data for 2022 shows five-year survival at 60%, leaving the UK lagging behind other developed countries.
To help achieve the goal, the government has pledged to hit the 62-day waiting time target by 2029 – it is more than a decade since it was met.
But experts warn it will require significant extra investment, particularly in staff, to make improvement.
However, Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who has survived kidney cancer, is adamant the plans are achievable.
He said the investment being made in the NHS by the government – the budget is increasing by 3% above inflation in the coming years – coupled with advances in medical science and technology will help “transform the life chances of cancer patients”.