Health

Cancer plan aims to reduce deaths

by Paul Conneally | October 27, 2008 at 08:07 am

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A new Scottish cancer plan has been announced that aims to reduce deaths from cancer in Scotland.

It puts 'survivorship' at its heart and includes plans for more investment in Macmillan Nurses and a new system that will see women screened for breast cancer getting two x-rays of each breast rather than one.

An action plan designed to dramatically cut cancer deaths and improve the lives of survivors has been unveiled by the Scottish Government.

As part of the plan, all women attending routine screening for breast cancer will get two x-rays of each breast instead of one.

Experts believe this will help pick up early tumours which are too small to detect under the current programme.

Among the other measures are a promise to deliver treatment more promptly.

Scotland currently has one of the lowest cancer survival rates in Europe.

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said that by 2011, all patients would receive treatment within 31 days of being diagnosed with cancer.