The number of people affected by cancer in the UK is set to reach a record high this year, according to Macmillan Cancer Support.

According to the charity, which provides support for millions of individuals and their families in the UK, 2.5 million people will be living with cancer in 2015.

Research suggests that there will be a surge in cases in the coming years and the charity has warned that health services will be unable to cope and urged political parties to act now to ensure that patients get the treatment they require.

Officials from the Department of Health have stated that survival rates are better than ever, but the UK lags behind other countries and there is a long way to go.

One of the major problems in terms of the number of cancer cases is that people are living for longer and this is contributing to a double-edged sword effect. Lynda Thomas, from Macmillan Cancer Support, said that it is positive news that life expectancy is increasing, but health services simply cannot cope with the demand for care and this is a situation that is only going to get worse with time unless urgent action is taken.

Patients who are diagnosed with cancer often require long-term treatment after surviving cancer. John Pearson was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2006 and he still requires treatment for nerve damage and chronic fatigue, which he developed following intensive courses of chemotherapy. He is just one example of thousands in a similar situation.