Information Services Division Scotland recently published annual statistics on cancer mortality in Scotland for 2018. Cancer mortality refers to deaths resulting from cancer, after considering both the occurrence (incidence) of cancer and survival from the disease. The data for the publication were obtained from death registrations in the National Records of Scotland.
Key findings from the report are as follows:
- Over the past ten years, the overall age-adjusted cancer mortality rate has declined by 10 per cent (12 per cent for males and 7 per cent for females).
- However, there has been an increase in the number of annual cancer deaths over the same period, primarily due to a greater number of older people developing cancer.
- Lung cancer remains the most common cause of cancer mortality in Scotland, accounting for a quarter of all cancer deaths (3980 deaths in 2018). This is followed by colorectal cancer.
- In the past 10 years, the mortality risk for liver and uterine cancer among women has increased by 67 and 39 per cent, respectively, whereas the mortality risk for breast, ovarian and oesophageal cancers has declined by 16, 16 and 11 per cent, respectively.
- Among men, the mortality risk for liver cancer has increased by 55 per cent, whereas the mortality risk for stomach, lung and bowel cancers has declined by 33, 25 and 11 per cent, respectively
- The most deprived areas of Scotland have a 74 per cent higher mortality rate for all cancers combined than the least deprived areas.
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