Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will ensure that the forthcoming cancer strategy will include specific actions to improve early diagnosis in those with rare and less common cancers.

A new cancer strategy is being developed by an independent Cancer Taskforce, chaired by Harpal Kumar, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, and will address the whole cancer pathway. Clara Mackay, chief executive of Cancer 52, which represents charities for people affected by rare and less common cancers, is a member of the Cancer Taskforce, and wide stakeholder engagement is taking place to develop the strategy.

To promote awareness and early diagnosis of rarer cancers, Public Health England (PHE) has run national Be Clear on Cancer campaigns for bladder and kidney cancers and oesophageal and stomach cancers, as well as a regional pilot for ovarian cancer. The Department will continue to work with PHE, NHS England and other stakeholders to keep these campaigns under review and see what might be done to increase awareness of other less common cancers.