'Shameful': SNP ministers warned of a 'ticking timebomb' of cancer cases
Opposition parties say successive health secretaries have failed to get on top of cancer care in Scotland
Ministers have been warned Scotland is facing a “ticking timebomb” as new statistics show a stark increase in people being diagnosed with cancer in the past 10 years.
New statistics from Public Health Scotland show there were 37,657 new cancers registered in Scotland in 2024. For the second consecutive year, prostate cancer was the most common, with diagnoses increasing 6 per cent in a year and 50 per cent in a decade.
They also show a 15 per cent increase in cancer incidence rates annually over the past 10 years, including a 4 per cent increase in cancer incidences amongst men.
The most common cancers in Scotland were prostate, breast, lung and colorectal, accounting for 55 per cent of all diagnoses.
For those under the age of 50, colorectal cancer increased by 38 per cent in the past decade, overall breast and colorectal cancers increased by 8 per cent each, and malignant melanoma increased by 37 per cent.
However, the statistics suggest the HPV vaccination has resulted in no cases of cervical cancer in women under the age of 25 in 2024.
Ministers highlighted Scotland’s ageing population and earlier detection as factors behind the rise in cases.
But Miles Briggs MSP, the Scottish Conservatives’ health spokesman, said: “These shocking statistics confirm Scotland is facing a ticking timebomb of cancer cases under the SNP.
“Successive nationalist health secretaries have failed to meet their own cancer waiting time targets for well over a decade and cancer rates are continuing to soar.
“It is deeply alarming to see cases of certain cancers rise so significantly in recent years.
“Early diagnosis is crucial but too many cancer patients are being let down by the SNP’s failure to properly support frontline services.”
He said Health Secretary Angela Constance must “urgently” set out a strategy to deal with this to make sure every cancer patient begins treatment as soon as possible.
The Public Health Scotland statistics also show cancer cases are 26 per cent higher in the most deprived parts of Scotland.
Peter Hastie, external affairs manager for Scotland at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “It’s shameful that in 2026, we’re still seeing that people living in the most deprived areas of Scotland are more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than those living in the least deprived areas.
“Worse still, we know someone’s experience of cancer can be made much worse simply because of who they are or where they live.
“As we’ve seen with today’s data, we need to grasp the nettle by ensuring all routinely published cancer data includes a breakdown for deprivation as standard.
“It’s only by understanding where people are getting left behind that we can tackle this inequality once and for all.”
Frances Logan of Breast Cancer Now should be a “start reminder” for the Scottish government of the growing challenge in tackling the condition.
She said: “We need renewed political ambition, prioritisation and investment in breast cancer to ensure everyone affected gets the best possible care and support, wherever they are.
“Diagnosing breast cancer early can make it easier to treat and improve survival. Yet Scotland continues to miss the achievable 80 per cent NHS breast screening uptake target, and differences in waiting times between health boards risks creating a postcode lottery in people’s chances of getting diagnosed and treated quickly.
“The Scottish Government must make earlier diagnosis a priority by improving breast screening uptake and ensuring people have timely access to diagnostic services and treatment, wherever they live.
“As the number of people living with and beyond breast cancer continues to grow, we also urgently need better data to understand their experiences and plan services effectively. In particular, the Scottish Government must deliver on its commitment to routinely capture timely data on people living with metastatic breast cancer so the NHS can provide services and care which meet their needs.”
A spokesperson for the Scottish Government said: “While more people are being diagnosed with cancer over time due to our ageing population, stats released show the number of new cancers diagnosed in 2024 have fallen slightly.
“A long-term drop in the levels of smoking has resulted in decreasing incidence of lung, head, neck, bladder and oesophagus cancers. There have been no cervical cancer cases detected in fully vaccinated women following the introduction of the human papillomavirus (HPV) immunisation programme in 2008.
“We are committed to reducing smoking rates to 5 per cent or less by 2034 and eliminating cervical cancer by 2040, and the latest data shows the impact of those policies.
“Previous statistics show that the risk of dying from cancer in Scotland is now at the lowest rate on record for men and women, falling by 12.1 per cent over the past decade.
“This encouraging trend reflects earlier detection, more effective treatments, and our continued investment in cancer services.”
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