Where we want to be –
our goals

We have developed 10 goals focussed on explaining our vision and role in beating cancer. We aim to achieve these goals by 2020 through working closely with our partners.

While we aim to achieve these goals by 2020, we can only succeed by working closely with people who share our vision – from Government, pharmaceutical companies, and professional and public health bodies to other charities and medical research organisations. And none of this work will be possible without the dedication and commitment of our supporters.

We will work with our partners to achieve the following by 2020:

People will know how to reduce their risk of cancer

Three-quarters of the UK public will be aware of the main lifestyle choices they can make to reduce their risk of getting cancer.

The number of smokers will fall dramatically

Four million fewer adults will be smokers, preventing thousands of new cases of cancer every year.

People under 75 will be less likely to get cancer

The chances of a person developing cancer up to the age of 75 will fall from more than one in four to one in five.

Cancer will be diagnosed earlier

Two-thirds of all cancer cases will be diagnosed at a stage when the cancer can be successfully treated.

We will understand how cancer starts and develops

We will have a detailed understanding of the causes and changes in the body in two-thirds of all cases of cancer.

There will be better treatments with fewer side effects

Treatments that accurately target the cancer and have few serious side effects will be available for at least half of all patients.

More people will survive cancer

Survival rates for all common cancers will increase, with more than two-thirds of newly-diagnosed patients living for at least five years.

We will especially tackle cancer in low income communities

The differences in the risk of dying from cancer between the most affluent and the least affluent will be reduced by half.

People with cancer will get the information they need

At least nine out of ten patients will be able to access the information they need at the time of diagnosis and during treatment.

We will continue to fight cancer beyond 2020

Sufficient scientists, doctors, nurses and infrastructure will be in place to ensure continued rapid progress in the fight against cancer beyond 2020.

Watch the video of our goals launch press conference
(or read the transcript)

On the next page you can find out how we are going to reach our goals.