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Written question asked by Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative) on Monday, 9 March 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 11 March 2026. It was answered by Sharon Hodgson (Labour) on Monday, 23 March 2026 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.

Glioblastoma: Life Expectancy

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average life expectancy is for (a) newly diagnosed and (b) recurrent glioblastoma patients in the NHS over the last 10 years.

Answer

The National Disease Registration Service (NDRS) in NHS England, as the national cancer registry, collects diagnosis, treatment, and outcome data on cancer patients in England. The NDRS does not routinely publish statistics on life expectancy.

However, NHS England publishes survival data for all cancers, including brain cancer, which includes glioblastoma. Currently, glioblastoma is not included as a separate cancer group in our routine statistics.

The latest data shows one year survival after diagnosis is 41.7% and five‑year survival for brain cancer is 12.9%. The data can be found at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/cancer-survival-in-england/cancers-diagnosed-2016-to-2020-followed-up-to-2021

The Government recognises that glioblastoma is an aggressive and fast‑growing form of brain cancer with poor outcomes and is committed to improving outcomes and investing in research for brain cancers, including glioblastoma. The National Cancer Plan includes a strong focus on rarer and less common cancers, such as brain tumours, to drive earlier diagnosis, improved care, and better survival.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
118681
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Life expectancy Glioblastoma
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk