Macmillan: UK and Scotland cancer survival 'lagging behind'

Survival rates for some common cancers in Scotland are only now on a par with the levels achieved by Sweden and Norway decades ago, according to a new analysis. Charity Macmillan warned that cancer care across the UK is "at breaking point" as it highlighted the comparatively poor performance across all four nations compared to the Nordic countries. More than 35,000 people in Scotland are diagnosed with cancer every year, with incidence projected to rise sharply over the next 15 years as the population ages.

READ MORE: Scotland's 'woeful' cancer survival rates among the worst in the west, finds study NHS cancer waits: A 'failing' system - or a failure to plan? Warning NHS Scotland has 'dire' shortage of specialist cancer doctors The charity used the most up-to-date available data to evaluate five-year survival for common cancer types in Scotland, England, Wales, and Northern Ireland and how long ago these benchmarks were reached in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. On prostate cancer, it found that Scotland was lagging 15 years behind Sweden with a five-year survival of 85.7% - the lowest in the UK.

In Sweden, five-year survival for the disease had already exceeded 89% by 2002-2006, and currently stands at 95% in both Sweden and Norway, and 90% in Denmark. For colon cancer in males, there was a five-year lag with the five-year survival rate in Scotland averaging just under 60% compared to 73.2% in Denmark, 70% in Norway, and 69.

4% in Sweden. For colon cancer in females, there was a.