Scottish cancer death rates ‘have dropped in last decade’

New government data has revealed a double-digit decrease in cancer death rates in Scotland between 2001 and 2011.

According to figures from Scotland's Information Services Division, mortality rates dropped by 12 percent during the last decade, with the disease claiming the lives of 15,375 Scots last year.

Lung, bowel, breast and prostate cancer are the nation's biggest killers, but death rates for the majority of these conditions have fallen by close to or more than ten percent during the assessed period.

Health secretary Alex Neil attributed these declines to factors such as widespread cancer screening programmes, advances in therapy options and investment in staff and equipment.

He added: "We are determined to do more to meet the challenge of rising cancer rates, including that posed by the ageing population and in particular take more action to improve cancer survival."

According to the latest data from Cancer Research UK, there were a total of 157,275 deaths from cancer across the UK as a whole during 2010.