SCOTLAND faces a “desperate situation” on cancer survival rates and urgently needs a national action plan to tackle it, a charity coalition has warned.

The call came on the publication of new figures showing that while 71 per cent of those diagnosed with cancer in Scotland lived beyond a year of their diagnosis, just 39 per cent of those diagnosed with a less survivable cancer — such as lung, liver, brain, oesophagus, pancreas or stomach — lived more than 12 months, the lowest rate in Britain.

The Less Survivable Cancer Taskforce Scotland (LSCTS) argues that the figures are not only driven by those cancers being diagnosed later but by researchers in the fields often finding themselves at the back of the queue for scarce funding.

LSCTS chairwoman Lorraine Dallas said: “The data released today is an urgent reminder of the desperate situation for people diagnosed with cancer of the lung, liver, brain, oesophagus, pancreas or stomach.

“It’s not just a statistic, it represents thousands of lives, families and communities affected by these devastating diseases.

“As a taskforce we are reiterating our call for the development of a national action plan dedicated to less survivable cancers in Scotland.”

Ms Dallas said that despite a Scottish Cancer Strategy, “we have the poorest survival rates for these cancers in the UK, more needs to be done to change that.”

“By prioritising awareness, research, early diagnosis and the development of more effective treatments we can drastically improve outcomes for patients,” she said.

Backing that call for action, Labour health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie said: “It is deeply concerning to learn that over half of people in Scotland diagnosed with these aggressive diseases will not survive beyond a year.

“I stand firmly with the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce in their mission to raise awareness and advocate for vital improvements in research and treatment options to increase life expectancies and to give hope to those affected.”

A Scottish government spokesman said: “Cancer remains a national priority, with our Cancer Strategy aiming to improve cancer survival and provide excellent, equitably accessible care.

“We recognise the need to do more, and our underpinning Cancer Action Plan includes specific actions to help us, diagnose, treat and support those with less survivable cancers to improve their experiences and outcomes.”