CANCER deaths have reached their highest number in 25 years despite a drop in mortality rates for the disease.
Overall cancer death rates fell by about 11% over the period 2002-2012.
But the total number of deaths rose to 15,787 in 2012, the highest since 1987 when 14,613 deaths were recorded.
Statisticians linked the rise to an ageing population.
Health Secretary Alex Neil welcomed the fall in the cancer mortality rate and said more would be done to tackle the rising number of people with the disease.
The overall mortality rate varied between men and women, dropping 15.5% and 5% respectively.
Breast cancer death rates fell by 17.7% over the past 10 years while female deaths from lung cancer rose 10.1%. In contrast, the death rate for lung cancer in men fell 21.7% over the same period.
Mortality rates for all cancers combined are about 72% higher in the most deprived areas of Scotland, compared with the most affluent areas.
A total of 4189 deaths last year were from lung cancer. Colorectal cancers killed 1621 people in 2012, with 1071 breast cancer deaths and 881 prostate cancer deaths.
l The number of NHS staff in Scotland has risen by 5% in the past seven years excluding GPs and dentists, according to new figures.
There were 134,171.4 whole time equivalent members of staff on September 30, a rise of 7109.5 staff since 2006.
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