More than a thousand people will be diagnosed with cancer everyday in the UK in December 2016 pushing the NHS to 'the limit', according to analysis from Macmillan Cancer Support.
The new figures found within just two years around 100 000 more people will be diagnosed with cancer each year compared to 20 years ago.
In 1996, 263 000 people were diagnosed with cancer and by 2016 this is predicted to grow to 361 000, equivalent to the entire population of Cardiff being diagnosed each year.
The charity warns the NHS will be pushed to its limit by the soaring numbers of cancer patients unless vital action is taken by the next government and is urgently calling for public support.
This year the number of English NHS trusts missing the target for access to cancer treatment waiting times has doubled.
Almost a fifth (19%) of cancer patients in England said they felt treated as a "set of symptoms" rather than a person and around 100 people a day died in hospital when they would rather have died at home.
Lynda Thomas, chief executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, said:"Today's findings are yet more evidence of the frightening magnitude of this disease.
"Cracks in the NHS are already beginning to show. Whichever party is voted in at next year's election, they will face a colossal challenge to make sure the NHS is ready to support the wave of people who will be diagnosed with cancer during their time in power.
"To avoid a cancer care crisis we must take action as a nation now. We need the public to get behind our campaign and we need political parties to listen to our recommendations and prioritise cancer care in their manifestos for next year's election. We need to be prepared and get serious about this disease which will touch half of the population."
Macmillan Cancer Support is urging all parties at Westminster commit in their manifestos to:
1. Delivering cancer survival rates that match the best in Europe;
2. Protecting the dignity of patients; and
3. Delivering free social care for people at the end of life, to enable them to spend their final weeks and days in the place of their choice.
The new figures showed that of the 1,000 people diagnosed with cancer a day by the end of 2016, around 830 people will be in England, 90 in Scotland, 50 in Wales and 30 in Northern Ireland.
The rise in the number of people getting cancer is largely due to people living longer, with around two in three cases diagnosed in people aged 65 or over. This proportion is gradually growing as the population ages.
