When it comes to cancer survival, one factor consistently outweighs all others: the stage at which cancer is diagnosed. If caught early, patients have a 90% chance of surviving five years and an 80% chance of surviving ten. If detected late, survival can fall below 30%, and for some cancers like pancreatic, it is less than 5%.

Primary care sits at the heart of this challenge. In the UK, almost half of patients are missed at their first GP appointment, and one in five must return three times or more before cancer is suspected. GPs are tasked with spotting cancer in just seven minutes, across more than 200 cancer types that can mimic almost any condition. It is not a question of skill or effort. It is a question of tools, time, and support.

Why primary care matters most

Around 95% of patients already have symptoms at diagnosis. That means early cancer is rarely silent. The real challenge is recognising those symptoms and acting on them quickly. Patients diagnosed through urgent cancer referrals from primary care have the highest survival rates. In contrast, patients diagnosed in A&E have only a 40% chance of surviving a year.

Primary care is the gateway to earlier diagnosis. It is where symptoms are first discussed, where risks are assessed, and where the opportunity exists to intercept cancer before it progresses. If we want to improve survival, it must start here.

How C the Signs is supporting GPs

C the Signs is an MHRA Class I medical device used in primary care to identify and refer patients at risk of cancer at the earliest and most treatable stage of the disease. Our platform gives GPs the support they need to make confident, evidence-based decisions in real time.

• Point-of-care decision support helps clinicians risk assess patients during consultations. The platform has demonstrated 99% sensitivity for cancer and 94% accuracy in predicting tumour origin.
• Patient-led assessments give people the chance to risk assess themselves from home, lowering barriers to access and reducing delays in presentation.
• Case finding scans patient records to proactively identify those at risk, ensuring no one is missed.
  

Evidence of impact

C the Signs has already transformed cancer detection across the NHS. In real-world use we have seen:

• Over 50,000 patients presenting with cancer identified earlier
• An 8 to 12 percent increase in cancer detection in primary care
• Stage shifts in multiple cancers including a 53 percent improvement in early ovarian cancer diagnosis and a 133 percent improvement in early pancreatic cancer detection
• 20 to 50 percent faster time to diagnosis, reducing delays that directly affect survival
  

The future of cancer survival

If the NHS is to meet its target of diagnosing 75% of cancers at an early stage by 2028, primary care will be the decisive factor. Empowering GPs with the right technology is not optional. It is essential.

By placing advanced cancer detection in the hands of clinicians, patients, and healthcare systems, C the Signs is proving that earlier diagnosis is possible, survival rates can be improved, and lives can be saved.

Cancer may be one of the greatest challenges of our time, but primary care holds the key to turning it into one of our greatest opportunities.