1 in 2 people will develop some form of cancer during their lifetime (1). Spotting cancer early is paramount as late-stage cancer diagnosis significantly impacts patient outcomes and healthcare costs, yet despite this, only 55% of cancers are currently detected early in England (2).
In the UK, early cancer detection via primary care greatly improves treatment outcomes including survival rates (3).
C the Signs is an integrated clinical decision-support system that assists healthcare professionals to spot cancer at an earlier stage, when survival rates are highest. The system uses robust evidence and clinical data to help assess a person’s risk of developing cancer.
The system uses the latest evidence to help detect cancer – evaluating tens of thousands of peer-reviewed publications, and only uses data points which have been academically validated.
The tool supports GPs by streamlining diagnostic pathways and reducing the cognitive load in identifying potential cancers.
C the Signs is already in use across more than 1,500 GP practices, covering 10 million patients nationwide. To date, the system has supported the detection of over 45,000 cancers across more than 50 cancer types. With support from Health Innovation East, the platform was initially implemented in 35 GP practices across Ipswich and East Suffolk, where it demonstrated a 12.3% increase in cancer detection rates across practices, improving care across a population of approximately 420,000 people.
Building on this success, it is now being rolled out further in the region and beyond, with support from Health Innovation Wessex and Health Innovation Yorkshire and Humber, alongside national coordination across 14 Integrated Care Systems. If C the Signs were to be scaled nationally, a similar positive impact on early cancer detection would be anticipated; supporting people to be diagnosed as soon as possible, increasing their chances of survival and access to effective treatments through giving GPs the confidence and tools to act fast and make decisions that save lives.
Based on work by an independent health economist collaborating with Health Innovation East, it is predicted that C the Signs could save each Integrated Care Board (ICB) over £1.5 million per year. In one ICB with a population of approximately one million patients, the potential savings were found to be £1.56m from earlier cancer diagnosis and reduced late-stage treatment, plus an additional £128,000 from the avoidance of unnecessary urgent suspected cancer referrals.
With strong engagement from primary care and invaluable support from Health Innovation East, we’ve been able to significantly expand our reach across the region. C the Signs has played a key role in driving faster, earlier, and more accurate cancer detection in a cost-effective way. Today, we’re supporting over 2 million patients in the East of England and reaching 10 million patients nationally – empowering GP practices to make real strides in early cancer diagnosis and improving patient outcomes.
Visit C the Signs website or get in touch with our delivery team by emailing deliveryoperations@healthinnovationeast.co.uk
References:
(1) NHS. (2022). Cancer. [Online]. NHS. Last Updated: 13 October 2025. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cancer/ [Accessed 2 May 2025].
(2) Cancer Research UK. (2025). Early Detection and Diagnosis of Cancer Road. [Online]. Cancer Research UK. Last Updated: 2025. Available at: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/funding-for-researchers/research-opportunities-in-early-detection-and-diagnosis/early-detection-and-diagnosis-roadmap [Accessed 2 May 2025].
(3) NHS England. (2025). Earlier diagnosis. [Online]. NHS England. Last Updated: 2025. Available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/cancer/early-diagnosis/ [Accessed 2 May 2025].