SOONER or later, we are all touched by cancer in one way or another. Many of us will suffer from it directly, and the rest of us will see relatives or friends diagnosed with the disease.

The positive news is that more people than ever are surviving cancer. There is clear progress in research and treatment and, where once there would have been no hope, lives are now being saved.

That said, it is deeply disappointing that the United Kingdom should be trailing a decade behind other European countries when it comes to cancer survival rates.

New analysis of four common cancers – breast, lung, colon and stomach – shows that Britain is lagging behind survival rates in countries like Austria, Italy, Germany, Sweden and France.

Macmillan Cancer Support describes the UK's survival rates as "shameful" and has called on all political parties to pledge to tackle the European disparity.

Fifteen years ago, The Northern Echo successfully campaigned to bring UK waiting times for heart bypass surgery in line with the rest of Europe. We asked why Britain had average waiting times of 12 months when other European countries averaged at three months.

Similar questions can be asked about cancer. Why are lung cancer victims in Austria twice as likely to be alive five years after diagnosis than those suffering with the disease in this country?

Why are 31 per cent of Italians surviving stomach cancer, compared to only 19 per cent in Britain?

The NHS Five Year Forward View is a step forward. It places the emphasis on prevention, swifter diagnosis and better treatment.

All political parties at the forthcoming election need to commit to giving that plan every chance of closing the unacceptable gap between Britain and Europe.