Scotland has some of the worst survival rates for some of the most serious cancers, a taskforce has warned.

Data from the less survivable cancers taskforce (LSCT) showed that out of 33 countries of comparable wealth and income levels, Scotland ranks as low as 32nd for five-year survival for pancreatic cancer, 31st for stomach cancer and 29th for lung cancer.

Survival rates for oesophageal, brain and liver cancers are higher at 25th, 24th and 12th respectively, the taskforce said.

The rate of less survivable cancers is similar across all UK nations.

The taskforce – which represents six less survivable cancers: lung, liver, brain, oesophageal, pancreatic and stomach cancers – released their findings today – on less survivable cancers awareness day.

Findings are based on new analysis of existing data and the world survival rankings of cancers of the lung, liver, brain and oesophagus.

Scotland and the UK ranks below most other comparable countries for the six cancers.

South Korea, Belgium, the US, Australia and China have the highest five-year survival rates for less survivable cancers.

If people in the UK survived at the same rate, then an additional 8,000 lives could be saved annually, the figures showed.

Currently, in the UK around 15,400 people will survive for five years following a diagnosis of a less survivable cancer – if the UK had survival rates comparable to the top five performing countries, this number could be close to 24,000.

Want to see more SNP fails? – Economic Matters