Cancer deaths have reached their highest number in 25 years despite a drop in mortality rates for the disease, new figures have shown.
Overall cancer death rates fell by about 11% over the period 2002-2012, official statistics show. But the total number of deaths rose to 15,787 in 2012, the highest since 1987 when 14,613 deaths were recorded.
Statisticians linked the rise to an ageing population and the fact that cancer is a relatively common disease among the elderly.
Health Secretary Alex Neil welcomed the fall in the cancer mortality rate and said more would be done to tackle the rising number of people with the disease.
The overall mortality rate varied between men and women, dropping 15.5% and 5% respectively.
Breast cancer death rates decreased by 17.7% over the last ten years while female deaths from lung cancer increased 10.1%. In contrast, the death rate for lung cancer in men decreased by 21.7% over the same period.
Mortality rates for all cancers combined are about 72% higher in the most deprived areas of Scotland, compared with the most affluent areas.
A total of 4,189 deaths last year were from lung cancer, more than any other form of the disease. Colorectal cancers killed 1,621 people in 2012, with 1,071 breast cancer deaths and 881 prostate cancer deaths.
Mr Neil said: “We have put in place a wide range of measures to minimise the impact of the rising trend in the incidences of cancer, including our obesity strategy, our legislative programme for tobacco sales and Scotland’s alcohol framework to tackle alcohol misuse which includes introducing a minimum price per unit of alcohol.
“We have also been making good progress in cancer treatment during the last two decades – screening for breast, bowel and cervical cancers have been introduced, and cancer is being diagnosed and treated earlier thanks to advances in treatments and investment in staff and equipment.
“However, we are determined to do more to meet the challenge posed by rising cancer rates, including that posed by the ageing population and, in particular, take more action to improve cancer survival through early diagnosis.
“Our £30 million Detect Cancer Early Implementation Plan aims to increase the proportion of Scots diagnosed in the earliest stages of cancer by 25 per cent, focusing initially on those cancers with the highest death rates – lung, bowel and breast.”