Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help lengthen life expectancy for people with acute myeloid leukaemia; and if he will increase levels of funding for leukaemia (a) research and (b) treatment.

The Department funds research into leukaemia through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR spent £133 million on cancer research in 2023/24.

In leukaemia research, for example, the NIHR is funding the £2.6 million PROPEL trial, testing whether a package of enhanced personalised prehabilitation can help people with acute myeloid leukaemia secure better outcomes after treatment.

NHS England has implemented non symptom specific pathways for patients who present with non-specific symptoms or combinations thereof that can indicate several different cancers. This includes leukaemia, which can present non-specific symptoms, such as unexpected weight loss and night sweats. The national evaluation showed that blood cancers are one of the most common cancer types diagnosed through these pathways.

The National Cancer Plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including treatment for acute myeloid leukaemia patients.