Cancer patients' chances of survival could be put at risk by growing delays in the NHS carrying out tests that can diagnose the disease, experts have warned.
The number of patients in England waiting longer than the recommended six weeks for investigations such as MRI and CT scans has doubled in a year.
In April, the figure reached 16,981 - or 2.2% of all the patients waiting for such tests.
That was a six-year high and compared to April 2008 when just 2,904 patients were waiting for the 15 checks which also include audiology assessments or cardiac echos.
Macmillan Cancer Support called the delays "worrying" and said each hospital has a responsibility to meet the targets.
But it added "the Government and the next also need to take responsibility".
The charity's chief executive Ciaran Devane said: "It is extremely worrying that the proportion of people who face delays in receiving vital tests which can diagnose cancer has doubled since this time last year, from 1.1% to 2.2%.
"Only two weeks ago we heard that more people are waiting longer to start treatment and now more people are waiting longer just to get diagnosed.
"Once again, we see that cancer care in this country isn't fixed. The NHS is under strain and cancer risks being overlooked and not given the focus it needs.
"Each individual hospital has a responsibility to meet these targets, or they risk putting a patient's best chance of survival at risk."
An NHS England spokeswoman said: "Timeliness of diagnosis and treatment is what patients expect and is essential to providing high-quality care.
"The vast majority of patients get their tests promptly with most patients waiting less than three weeks from referral, despite the number of tests rising by almost 56,000 when compared to the same period last year."
On Friday, it was announced that extra funds are to be ploughed into the NHS to help keep waiting times down.
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