Spotlighting the hidden challenges facing people living with blood cancer

This is particularly important for patients, like those with blood cancer, who often have their disease overshadowed by more recognised cancers.

Blood cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the UK, with more than 40,000 people diagnosed with it every year and approximately a quarter of a million people living with the disease.^[1] Despite this, more than half of UK adults are unable to name a symptom of blood cancer.^[2] It is, therefore, no surprise that 78 per cent of people living with blood cancer describe their disease as a hidden cancer.^[3] 

This can have an impact on the experiences and outcomes of blood cancer patients. Research by Blood Cancer UK found that a lack of understanding of blood cancer is leading to delays in diagnosis, with 30 per cent of blood cancer cases only diagnosed after presenting to the NHS as an emergency^[4] – a stark difference compared to prostate and breast cancer, where fewer than 10 per cent are presenting as an emergency before receiving a diagnosis.^[4] Alongside this, 76 per cent of people living with blood cancer said they were not told their disease was a type of blood cancer at diagnosis.^[5] Additionally, for many people living with blood cancer, personalised care remains an unmet need. This is particularly significant given that blood cancer is an umbrella term that encapsulates more than 100 different cancers with varying symptoms and different options for treatments. It is crucial that people receive the right care at the right time, tailored to them and their blood cancer type.

That is why at Pfizer UK, we are determined to spotlight the hidden challenges of those living with blood cancer. We have partnered with Blood Cancer UK to engage the blood cancer patient community and identify ways in which their experiences and outcomes can be improved. The Blood Cancer Charter: Information for people living with blood cancer, developed and funded by Pfizer UK, brings these insights from the blood cancer patient community together to enable more people living with blood cancer to seek the support and care they need.

Additionally, our companion policy briefing, Spotlighting the hidden cancer: Improving standards of care for people living with blood cancer, sets out our recommendations on how we can ensure blood cancer care receives greater prioritisation among policymakers at a national level. Our vision for blood cancer care can only become a reality if there is continued commitment from policymakers and regulators to work with the blood cancer community to drive forward patient-centred care and ensure NHS cancer services are adequately resourced and supported to deliver the highest standard of care.

References

^[1] Blood Cancer UK. Facts and Information about Blood Cancer. [online] Blood Cancer UK. Available at: https://bloodcancer.org.uk/news/blood-cancer-facts/. [Accessed November 2025].

^[2] Blood Cancer UK. Over half of UK adults unable to name single blood cancer symptom. [online] Available at: https://bloodcancer.org.uk/news/over-half-of-uk-adults-unable-to-name-single-blood-cancer-symptom/ [Accessed November 2025].

^[3] Blood Cancer UK. Because blood cancer doesn’t get enough political focus. [online] Available at: https://bloodcancer.org.uk/about-us/raising-the-profile-of-blood-cancer/because-blood-cancer-doesnt-get-enough-political-focus/ [Accessed November 2025].

^[4] Blood Cancer UK. Because people are less likely to be diagnosed quickly. [online] Available at: https://bloodcancer.org.uk/about-us/raising-the-profile-of-blood-cancer/because-people-are-less-likely-to-be-diagnosed-quickly/ [Accessed November 2025].

^[5] Blood Cancer UK. Why we need to #SayBloodCancer. [online] Available at: https://bloodcancer.org.uk/get-involved/blood-cancer-awareness-month/why-we-need-to-say-blood-cancer/ [Accessed November 2025].