"The figures out today show that while the number of new cancer cases increased between 2001 and 2002, fewer Scots are dying from the disease. We are on track to achieve our target of reducing premature cancer deaths by 20 per cent by 2010."
By Scottish Executive, [RxPG] Figures out today show that more people in Scotland are living with and beating cancer.
Taking age into account, cancer mortality has decreased by 12 per cent among men and six per cent among women in the last 10 years.
Of the cancers that cause the most mortality, the largest fall for men was in lung cancer - 27 per cent. For women that largest fall was in stomach cancer - 33 per cent.
The number of cancer cases (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer) has increased between 2001 and 2002 from 25,788 to 25,999.
Health Minister Andy Kerr said:
"With some of the best treatment in the world, more and more Scots are living with and beating cancer.
"The figures out today show that while the number of new cancer cases increased between 2001 and 2002, fewer Scots are dying from the disease.
"We are on track to achieve our target of reducing premature cancer deaths by 20 per cent by 2010.
"Cancer treatment in Scotland is as good as anywhere in the world - with new drugs and state of the art radiotherapy equipment in all of our cancer centres.
"It is particularly pleasing to see the drop in lung cancer deaths among men. The biggest cancer killer among men is still lung cancer.
"We have not seen the same decrease in lung cancer rates for women. This is largely due to the greater reduction in smoking among men compared to women over the past 30 years.
"Scotland will be the first part of the UK to become completely smoke free in all enclosed public places from 26 March 2006.
"Our country's health and productivity will improve and the incidence of smoking-related diseases will fall."
But within this positive picture, the figures also highlighted the need for continued action on skin cancer. Although melanoma of the skin is only the 10th most common cancer in men, male deaths from this cancer over the last 10 years increased steeply by 31 per cent to 93 in 2004. Melanoma now accounts for 1.2 per cent of male and 0.8 per cent of female cancer deaths.
Mr Kerr said:
"It is disappointing that mortalities from malignant melanomas have increased. The numbers are low but more can be done to address this cancer.
"We know that sun exposure is a major risk factor for skin cancers including malignant melanoma even in a country with Scotland's climate
"That's why we invest in the Cancer Research UK national skin cancer prevention campaign 'SunSmart'.
"We also fund NHS Health Scotland, which has a range of materials to educate people about the dangers of skin cancer.
"Awareness raising campaigns aimed at highlighting the risk of unnecessary exposure to the sun are also being undertaken by NHS Boards across the country.
"We have invested £150 million in cancer services since 2001 and we are now beginning to see real improvements and benefits for patients.
"We have increased capacity to treat patients with cancer. There are now 300 additional staff including doctors, nurses and other health professionals delivering treatment and care across Scotland.
"In addition, we are investing £50 million over three years so that by the end of 2007 no patient waits more than nine weeks for a routine MRI or CT scan. The first fruits of this initiative - a £3 million full MRI service from Forth Valley - are already visible and there is more to come.
"Faster detection and treatment will mean that in future, even more people will be able to beat cancer."
The Executive and other UK health departments fund the Cancer Research UK annual national skin cancer prevention campaign "SunSmart". SunSmart aims to increase skin cancer awareness and methods of effective sun protection through information provision via website and printed resources for professionals to use in local health promotion . The campaign reached 76 per cent of the UK population in 2004.
