Call to transform future for Scots

Scots diagnosed with pancreatic, liver, brain, lung, oesophageal or stomach cancer have a 12% chance of surviving five or more years, compared to 67% for those with other forms of cancer.

The disparity was revealed by the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce (LSCT) as it revealed its findings to MSPs.

Five charities have joined forces to transform the future for Scots with the six least survivable cancers to give patients a fair chance of living for longer.

LSCT – which is made up of Pancreatic Cancer UK, the British Liver Trust, the Brain Tumour Charity, Action Against Heartburn and Core – says the unacceptable prognosis is due to a lack of research.

The charities say over the last 12 years the six diseases received just 17% of UK research funding for common cancers, with the remainder dedicated to the 14 more survivable common cancers.

The taskforce hopes to drive forward change and give patients the same chance of surviving as those with the more survivable cancers, which include prostate, breast and bowel cancer.

Clare Adamson, SNP MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, said: “It is absolutely disgraceful that in this day and age Scots diagnosed with pancreatic, liver, brain, lung, oesophageal or stomach cancer still have only a 12% chance on average of living beyond five years.”