Cancer survival rates: Scotland lagging badly behind other developed nations and only ahead of Russia, Czechia and Thailand for surviving cancer

New cancer survival data shows that out of 33 countries of comparable wealth and income levels, Scotland ranks 30th - only beating Russia, Czechia and Thailand - and is outperformed by England and Wales.

Scotland is one of the worst places in the developed world to survive cancer, damning figures have revealed, with the whole of the UK “woefully behind” other countries for cancer survival rates.

The Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce (LSCT) collates information on six ‘less survivable’ cancers – lung; liver; brain; oesophageal; pancreatic; and stomach cancer. Together, these cancers have an average five-year survival rate of just 16 per cent.

The data shows that out of 33 countries of comparable wealth and income levels, Scotland ranks as low as 32nd for five-year survival for pancreatic cancer, 31st for stomach cancer and 29th for lung cancer.

Delayed diagnosis may contribute to poor survival rates for some cancers, says the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce

This rises slightly to 25th and 24th for oesophageal and brain cancers respectively and 12th for liver cancer. When averaged out across all six less survivable cancers, Scotland ranks 30th overall – only beating Russia, Czechia and Thailand – and is outperformed by England and Wales.

The countries with the highest five-year survival rates for less survivable cancers were Korea, Belgium, USA, Australia and China. The research stated that if people in the UK survived at the same rate as in those countries, then more than 8,000 lives could be saved annually.

Around 15,400 people will survive for five years in the UK following a diagnosis of a less survivable cancer. If the UK had survival rates comparable to the top five performing countries, this number could be close to 24,000.

Lorraine Dallas, chair of the LSCT Scotland group, said the figures shoed those living in Scotland and the rest of the UK “have even worse prospects than in comparable countries”.

"To change this poor outlook for people across the country, we're calling on all UK governments to commit to speeding up diagnosis, improving existing diagnostic routes and developing new treatments by investing in research into less survivable cancers,” she said. “If we could bring the survivability of these cancers on level with the best-performing countries in the world, then we could gain valuable years for thousands of patients."

Scottish Labour described the statistics as “devastating” for people living in Scotland.

The party’s health spokesperson, Dame Jackie Baillie, said: “Less survivable cancers are not uncommon and it's unacceptable that we're lagging so far behind other countries when it comes to survivability.

“Politicians of all parties across the UK need to come together to improve outcomes for these patients by working towards better diagnosis and treatment options. I fully support Less Survivable Cancers Awareness Day and anyone affected by these terrible cancers."

Tanya and Graeme Dorrance, from Stonehaven, near Aberdeen, lost their son Sam, five, to a brain tumour in 2016, just ten months after he was diagnosed. They set up Super Sam’s Fund with The Brain Tumour Charity and raised £190,000 for research into paediatric brain tumours.

Ms Dorrance said: “This data makes difficult reading. Urgent progress must be made to increase survival rates and achieve better outcomes for children like Sam.

“We couldn’t change Sam’s future, but we hope that by raising awareness of less survivable cancers we can overturn these statistics and change other children’s futures for the better.”

The LSCT has hosted events at Holyrood, the House of Commons and the Senedd this week to talk to MPs, MSPs and MSs about the critical situation for people diagnosed with less survivable cancers. The taskforce is calling for a commitment from all UK governments to increase survival rates to 28 per cent by 2029.

A spokesperson for the Scottish Government said: “We are committed to improving cancer survival, providing equitable access to treatment and finding cancer early.

“The earlier cancer is diagnosed the easier it is to treat, and even cure, which is why earlier and faster diagnosis is a pivotal part of our new ten-year Cancer Strategy and we continue to invest in our Detect Cancer Earlier Programme.

“Cancer remains a national priority for the NHS and the Scottish Government, and we continue to have a focus on the less survivable cancers and improving their outcomes. Interim evaluation of our Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services, currently operational in five NHS boards across Scotland, shows that they are diagnosing less survivable cancers such as Hepatobiliary pancreatic and lung cancers.

“Boards are working together to deliver additional capacity, so they can see and treat patients faster and we have funded mobile scanners to provide additional capacity for MRI and CT supporting patients affected by cancer. We will also increase funding for chemotherapy services by £10.5m over the next four years.”