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Cancer

Every year, about 30,000 people in Scotland are told they have cancer and trends predict that this number is likely to rise to almost 35,000 by 2020. This is due to our ageing population as life expectancy increases. 

Over the last twenty years, the majority of cancers have shown improvement in survival rates five years post-diagnosis. Survival from cancer in Scotland is similar to England and Wales and in the last decade, cancer mortality rates have decreased.

Cancer continues to be a national clinical priority for the Scottish Government and NHS Scotland, this is reflected in the Better Cancer Care: An Action Plan, that sets out a series of actions and key priorities that will make a real difference to cancer services and support provided in Scotland.

NRS Cancer is funded by the Scottish Government to support clinical research which is an integrated part of cancer care in Scotland.  By running cancer clinical trials throughout Scotland this encourages engagement and involvement in new modes of radiotherapy and experimental cancer medicine to facilitate the evaluation and introduction of new cancer medicines and modes of treatments for patients. NRS Cancer works to increase, support and sustain clinical trial activity in cancer care.