IT’S LATER THAN YOU THINK: EARLY CANCER DIAGNOSIS IS ESSENTIAL

By Bill Heaney

New figures published today have shown a rise in the number of deaths from cancer in Scotland.

And two MSPs, including Dumbarton’s Jackie Baillie and LibDem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton, have expressed their concern publicly about the the trend.

Scottish Labour health spokesperson Jackie Baillie said: “It is deeply worrying that the number of cancer deaths in Scotland has risen over the course of a decade.

“This includes an alarming increase in the number of men dying from cancer, with a rise of 5 per cent between 2013 and 2022.

“One in four cancer deaths in Scotland are due to lung cancer, with campaigners and clinicians having warned that the Scottish Government is moving too slowly on its commitment to introduce lung cancer screening.

“We know that spotting cancer at an early stage means treatment is more likely to be successful. Therefore, it is vital that anyone experiencing any persistent or unusual symptoms makes an appointment with their doctor as soon as possible.

“SNP ministers must also act urgently to improve waiting times for cancer treatment as almost a third of patients referred to the NHS in Scotland are waiting longer than the 62-day target to start treatment.

“Health Secretary Neil Gray has claimed that cancer is a ‘national priority’ for the government – but he must back this up with action and not just warm words.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has today urged the Scottish Government to adopt his party’s plans for a national lung cancer screening programme.

Hamilton Alex Cole-Hamilton outside the surgery 5

Labour’s Jackie Baillie, SNP health minister Iain Gray and LibDem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton.

Two new reports from Public Health Scotland into cancer incidence and mortality out today reveal:

• The number of deaths due to cancer has increased by 3.2% (to 16,265 from 15,764 in 2013)

• 1 in 4 cancer deaths (24%) are due to lung cancer. The rate of lung cancer was more than three times higher in the most deprived areas compared with the least deprived.

• There have been big increases in liver cancer. In men, liver cancer deaths have risen by 15% and among women, liver cancer deaths have increased by 20%.

• For all cancers combined (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer), rates were 24% higher in the most deprived areas compared with the least deprived.

In the first quarter of 2025 only 68.9% of cancer patients were seen within the 62-day standard treatment time, the worst performance since records began. The target has never been met since it was introduced in 2012.

The LibDems say they have launched a petition which calls for the SNP government to roll out a full, nationwide screening programme for lung cancer, which experts say could hundreds of lives every year.

Three years ago, the UK National Screening Committee recommended that the whole of the UK introduce lung cancer screening to help prevent the disease or catch it early. The programme is targeted at those who are high risk: people aged between 55 and 74, and who smoke or who used to.

It is already being implemented in England, and Wales has now announced that it will also do a full rollout. Currently, there are no plans by the Scottish Government to do the same.

The petition can be found HERE.

Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said: “Cancer patients cannot depend on this SNP government. In Scotland, more people die of lung cancer than any other form of disease. Survival rates aren’t much better than what they were in the 1970s.

“International studies show Scotland falling behind with cancer care. The SNP’s failure to roll out a national lung cancer screening programme is another example of that.

“My party wants to see the government ending their dithering and making a full rollout of this screening programme a top priority. We know there isn’t a moment to lose when it comes to getting cancer patients life-saving interventions.

“Access to diagnosis and treatment is a postcode lottery across the country. We need serious investment in both diagnostics and staff, and an end to patchwork care.

“The public should back our campaign and help us to fix cancer prevention, diagnosis and care.”