Skip to content 
The charity called on the government to close the “cancer inequality gap” by taking urgent action to tackle the factors behind the discrepancy.
These include those in poorer areas who have greater exposure to cancer risk factors, including smoking and obesity, and lower uptake of the HPV vaccine in colon and cervical screening programs.
The charity also said there is “clear evidence” that people from deprived areas face barriers to accessing timely care, contributing to inequalities across the cancer pathway.
Cancer Research UK Chief Executive Michelle Mitchell said: “These figures are not only unacceptable but avoidable.
“Everyone in Scotland deserves to live in an environment that gives them the best chance of a long and healthy life, free from cancer, but stark health inequalities persist.
“To help end the cancer postcode lottery, the Scottish Government must step up prevention efforts and ensure that everyone can access high-quality cancer care, wherever they live.”
The charity said those in the most deprived areas were also more likely to be hit harder by the financial pressures arising from the illness, including loss of income and increased travel costs for treatment.
Dr Sorcha Hume, Cancer Research UK’s public affairs manager for Scotland, said it was “unacceptable” that cancer rates remain significantly higher in the country’s most deprived areas.
“While the causes are complex, early diagnosis is key to closing the survival gap,” she said.
“We need to improve symptom awareness, remove barriers to seeking help, and support informed screening in these communities.
“Long-term, funded national awareness campaigns aimed at those most affected are also essential.”
The report showed that the biggest inequalities are in the rates of smoking-related cancers, with lung cancer contributing around 2,500 cases each year linked to smoking in Scotland.
The charity pointed to the latest Health Survey for Scotland, which found 23% of adults living in the most deprived areas in Scotland, compared with just 7% of those in the least deprived areas.
It called for more action to reduce smoking rates, and for the introduction of a national lung cancer screening program.
Dr Hume continued: “One of the worst findings of the report is that lung cancer contributes to more than six in 10 deprivation-associated cancer cases in Scotland.
“Smoking remains the leading cause, and lung cancer is often diagnosed too late for effective treatment.
“To tackle this, we need to see the timely implementation of the Tobacco and Vapes Act, properly funded stop smoking services, and the introduction of a national lung cancer screening program in Scotland.”
The Scottish Government has been contacted for comment.
