Revealed: racial disparity in cancer diagnoses via screening in England

Screening programmes save lives by spotting cancer earlier, when treatment is likely to be more effective. Photograph: David Davies/PA

Black people are more than a third less likely than white people to be diagnosed with cancer via screening in England, according to the first study of its kind, prompting calls for targeted efforts to improve their levels of uptake.

Screening programmes save lives by preventing cancer from occurring or spotting it earlier, when treatment is more likely to be effective.