Cancer survival rates in Britain lag more than ten years behind those in many other European countries , experts warn . Even for breast cancer – one of the most treatable forms of the disease – the figures are still well below those reached by France , Sweden and Italy in the late 1990s . For lung cancer , the rates are so far behind that patients in Britain are now half as likely to survive as those living in Austria . Macmillan Cancer Support has described the situation as ‘ shameful ’ and warns too many patients are dying needlessly here when they would survive had they been treated elsewhere in Europe . Cancer survival rates in Britain lag more than ten years behind those in many other European countries , despite billions of pounds being spent to improve the UK 's survival rates ( file picture , posed by models ) And despite billions being spent to improve cancer survival rates over the last 15 years – £640million invested by Labour in the early 2000s and £750million by the Tories – Britain does not appear to have gained any ground . In 2002 Labour increased National Insurance tax by 1 per cent as part of a budget introduced by then Chancellor Gordon Brown specifically to pay for major improvements in the NHS , notably cancer care . But only this month figures showed that waiting times for scans are at their highest in seven years while a report by MPs warned of ‘ unacceptable ’ variation in care . Data analysed by Macmillan shows that 81 per cent of breast cancer sufferers in Britain survive five years . This is a lower rate than France , Sweden and Italy in the late 1990s , when the figure was 83 per cent . In these countries the survival rates are now 86 per cent or higher . For bowel cancer , 54 per cent of Britons can expect to survive five years , whereas in the late 1990s it was already 59 per cent in Finland and 55 per cent in Norway , the Netherlands and France . The five-year survival rate for lung cancer here is currently 10 per cent but in several countries , including Austria , Germany and Italy , it was at 11 per cent by the late 1990s . Lynda Thomas , chief executive of Macmillan Cancer Support , said : ‘ Frankly , this is shameful . What we can see here is that better cancer survival rates are not unachievable . ‘ If countries like Sweden , France , Finland and Austria can achieve these rates , then the UK can , and should , bridge the gap. ’ Experts are not sure why our figures remain so far behind but it may partly be that doctors are not detecting the illness early enough , before it has spread to other organs . It may also be down to patients not being offered the newest , most effective drugs nor the latest surgical procedures , which are routinely available in other countries . This is particularly true for the elderly who are often denied chemotherapy or surgery on the grounds that they are considered too frail . Experts are worried improvements made to survival rates have stalled because the NHS can not cope with the ever-increasing numbers being diagnosed with cancer . It is estimated that about half of us will get cancer at some point in our lifetimes . The figures are taken from a comparison of survival rates of European countries carried out by researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine , known as the ‘ Concord programme ’ . Meanwhile , the latest monthly NHS statistics showed 18,740 patients waited longer than six weeks for tests to diagnose cancer such as X-rays , CT scans or ultrasounds – up 40 per cent in a year and the worst figure since February 2008 . It follows a report by MPs warning of ‘ unacceptable ’ and ‘ unexplained ’ variation in cancer detection and treatment across England – particularly for the elderly . Sean Duffy , of NHS England , said : ‘ We are diagnosing and treating more people than ever before and as a result the NHS is helping more people than ever survive cancer . ’
Cancer survival rates more than 10 years behind other European countries . Breast cancer survival rates in UK below those achieved by others in 1990s . Figures despite Britain spending 18,740 to improve situation last 15 years . Macmillan said it was ‘ shameful ’ and proves better rates not unachievable .