Cancer charities are urging ministers to set earlier diagnosis targets, as cancer cases in England are projected to surge by 2040.
One person is expected to be diagnosed every two minutes, new analysis suggests, an increase on one every four minutes in the 1970s.
Around 6.3 million new cases of the disease are predicted to be diagnosed over the next 15 years, with common cancers expected to reach record highs.
While survival rates have significantly improved since the 1950s, the NHS is at risk of being overwhelmed unless action is taken to diagnose the disease earlier, when it is more treatable, charities warn.
Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK and One Cancer Voice representative, said: "Nearly one in two of us will be diagnosed with cancer in our lifetime — everyone will be impacted by the disease, whether they receive a diagnosis themselves, or have a friend, family member or loved one who does."
It comes as the Department of Health and Social Care launched a call for evidence to help shape a national cancer plan in February.
The blueprint is expected to be published later this year, which Ms Mitchell said could be a "defining moment".
The projected increase in cancer cases is likely to be due to a range of factors, including a rapidly expanding ageing population, improvements in detection and diagnosis, and a higher prevalence of known risk factors with the disease.
One Cancer Voice, which is a coalition of 60 cancer charities, published its projections for the coming years on Thursday.
They have called on ministers to set new early diagnosis targets, to make a pledge to meet all cancer waiting times by the end of Parliament in 2029, to improve access to cancer trials and to improve screening programmes as part of the National Cancer Plan.
New analysis by the coalition suggests there have been 5.5 million cancer cases in the last 15 years — with a 14.2% increase expected in the next 15 years.
Regionally, the South East could see the biggest rise in diagnoses, with more than one million cases between now and 2040, the study claims.
This is followed by the North West, with 865,000 cases, the East of England and the South West with 722,000, and London with 714,000.
The analysis also found that cases of common cancers are expected to reach record highs.
More than one million cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in the next 15 years, as well as 906,000 cases of breast cancer and 821,000 cases of lung cancer.
At the moment, it is estimated there are around 55,100 cases of prostate cancer diagnosed in the UK every year, with 56,800 cases of breast cancer and 49,200 cases of lung cancer.
Ms Mitchell added: "The National Cancer Plan for England could be a defining moment.
"If the UK Government delivers an ambitious fully funded strategy, we could save more lives and transform cancer outcomes, propelling England from world lagging to among world leading when it comes to tackling this disease.
"Meeting these six tests will show how serious the UK Government is about improving cancer outcomes.
"We've seen progress before - now is the time to act again and make a difference for cancer patients."
Professor Sir Mike Richards, former national cancer director at the Department of Health and chairman of the National Screening Committee, said: "Our previous NHS Cancer Plan was instrumental in improving cancer outcomes, and this one gives us a huge opportunity to make England one of the best countries in the world for cancer survival.
"But to make this happen it's essential that the plan has consistent funding, so that the changes we know will save lives from cancer are able to be introduced.
"This will save money in the long term and ensure a better future for generations to come."
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "This government is prioritising cancer care as we turn around more than a decade of neglect of our NHS.
"We're already making an impact, with 95,000 more people having cancer diagnosed or ruled out within 28 days between July 2024 and May 2025, compared to the same period the previous year. This will soon be supported by our new National Cancer Plan, setting out how cancer care will improve over the coming years.
"We're also making it easier for people to get tests, checks and scans with DIY screening kits for cervical cancer, new radiotherapy machines in every region, and by creating the first smoke-free generation."
