Issued by Department of Health and Social Care:

Women with breast cancer could be spared 10 hospital visits during radiotherapy through government-backed research, as well as benefit from action to diagnose cancer earlier and strengthen patient support.

More than 1,000 people have joined a government-funded trial, testing whether breast cancer radiotherapy can be safely cut from three weeks to just five days.

The FAST-Forward Boost trial is running at 39 hospitals across the UK and will test a shorter course of radiotherapy with an additional targeted dose, known as a boost, to help prevent breast cancer returning.

The milestone comes as Ashley Dalton MP, who is living with metastatic breast cancer, is appointed as an adviser on delivery of the National Cancer Plan to help ensure patients’ experiences shape decisions on cancer care. Ms Dalton stepped down from her role as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention on March 2, 2026, to manage her health and treatment side effects.

As Breast Cancer Awareness Month draws to a close, figures show more women are taking up their first breast screening invitation than at any point in the past decade, with uptake reaching 63.6%. However, around four in 10 women invited for the first time do not attend.

Health and Social Care Secretary Yvette Cooper is urging women who receive an invitation to take up the potentially life-saving offer.

Health and Social Care Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “This trial shows how the UK is using our world beating research capabilities to pursue huge improvements and transformations in cancer treatment for patients in our NHS.

“This programme is aiming to radically shorten the treatment times for breast cancer - to support patients and save more lives. The UK is home to some of the best medical research and clinical expertise in the world, and this trial is the latest example of what we can achieve when we bring them together.

“Better cancer care also means listening to those who know what it means to live with it.

“That’s why Ashley Dalton’s appointment as adviser on the National Cancer Plan is so important. Her personal experience of cancer, alongside her previous experience at the Department of Health and Social Care, will help ensure the Plan reflects the realities of people living with cancer.”

Ashley Dalton MP said: “It’s a real honour to be appointed the Government’s Cancer Advisor. Publishing the National Cancer Plan was a huge professional and personal achievement of mine and I have been determined to ensure that the commitments in it are driven forward.

“Now I can do this in a more formal way, working directly with the responsible Minister, James Frith.

“My time as Health Minister taught me so much, and so has living with metastatic breast cancer. I want to use my experiences in the best way I can, to support the commitment in the National Cancer Plan that by 2035, 3 out of 4 people diagnosed with cancer will be cancer free or living well with cancer after 5 years.”

Professor Lucy Chappell, Professor Lucy Chappell, NIHR CEO and DHSC Chief Scientific Adviser, said: “Playing a major role in tackling some of the biggest killers, including breast cancer, is at the very heart of what we do. For 20 years, the NIHR has invested in studies like the FAST-Forward BOOST trial – funding high-quality research that transforms patient care in the NHS.

“We know the impact breast cancer treatment can have on patients and their families, and how the side effects of radiotherapy can affect people’s quality of life, even long after treatment has ended. Studies like this are crucial, as they aim to not only identify new treatment options which can be delivered swiftly and safely – but also minimise side effects, giving patient more time away from hospitals and with the people that they love.”

The trial is led by The Institute of Cancer Research, London and funded through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

If successful, the approach could reduce travel costs and time away from work and family, while freeing up NHS capacity to treat more people.

The government, in partnership with NIHR and NHS England, is also delivering trials of AI to support the analysis of mammograms and working with Breast Cancer Now over the next three years to help women recognise signs of cancer and access trusted information and support after treatment.

The National Cancer Plan sets out action to find cancer earlier, improve treatment and ensure people living with cancer receive the best possible care and support.

Professor Anna Kirby, Chief Investigator of the FAST-Forward Boost trial, based at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and The Institute of Cancer Research, London, said: “Reaching 1,000 participants is a fantastic milestone. It reflects the commitment of patients and clinical teams across the UK to answering an important question about how we can improve breast radiotherapy for patients.

“It is particularly heartening to see so many women, at a challenging time in their own lives, choosing to take part in research that could help improve treatment for women with breast cancer in the future. We are incredibly grateful to every one of them.”

Rachael Franklin, Deputy Chief Executive at Breast Cancer Now, said: “In England, around 30% of female breast cancers are diagnosed via screening, most at an early stage making it a vital part of early detection.

“Maximising early diagnosis is essential as the earlier breast cancer is found the more likely treatment is to be successful. When diagnosed at stage 1 almost 100% of people survive for five years or more, compared with just 32% at stage 4.

“As the first partner of the Renewed Women’s Health Strategy, we’re pleased to see the government today committing to step up action against breast cancer and we look forward to seeing the results of this new radiotherapy trial.”

Notes to editors:

Background

• The FAST-Forward Boost trial aims to recruit 4,830 people by 2028. Participants will be followed up for five years, with results expected in 2033.

• The partnership with Breast Cancer Now was announced earlier this month and supports the Renewed Women’s Health Strategy.

• Breast Cancer Now spokespeople and case studies are available for interview, please contact press@breastcancernow.org to arrange.

• Ashley Dalton, the Labour MP for West Lancashire, is living with incurable metastatic breast cancer. She was originally diagnosed with primary breast cancer in 2013, she revealed a secondary (metastatic) breast cancer diagnosis in January 2025. She will advise on improving cancer care through the National Cancer Plan. This will include highlighting where delivery is off track and further intervention may be needed, and assessing whether the Plan is delivering improvements in quality of life and patient experience for people affected by cancer.

• Latest breast screening statistics - Breast Screening Programme, England, 2024-25 - NHS England Digital

Below is the list of the 39 hospitals taking part:

The Royal Marsden Hospital, London

The Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton

Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge

Christie Hospital (Manchester)

Royal Surrey County Hospital

Churchill Hospital, Oxford

Singleton Hospital, Swansea

Royal Free Hospital, London

James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough

Royal Berkshire Hospital

Charing Cross Hospital, London

Southampton General Hospital

Western General Hospital, Edinburgh

St. John’s Hospital, Livingston

Barts (St Bartholomew’s Hospital), London

The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre

Royal Alexandra Hospital, Paisley

Clatterbridge Cancer Centre

Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire

Weston Park Hospital, Sheffield

Royal Shrewsbury Hospital

Belfast City Hospital

Peterborough City Hospital

Northampton General Hospital

Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary

Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham

Borders General Hospital

University Hospital Crosshouse, Kilmarnock

West Middlesex University Hospital

University Hospital Hairmyres

St James’s University Hospital, Leeds

Guy’s Hospital, London

Bristol Haematology & Oncology Centre

Ipswich Hospital

Forth Valley Royal Hospital

University College Hospital, London

Ealing Hospital

Mount Vernon Cancer Centre

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