The uptake on bowel screening in NHS Dumfries and Galloway is now higher than the Scottish national average, according to official figures.
Local constituency MSP Finlay Carson welcomed the encouraging news after it was revealed just under 70% had undertaken screening compared to 65% elsewhere.
He revealed also that there were more than 160 new diagnoses of bowel cancer within his constituency, an incidence rate that is higher than the national average.
The Galloway and West Dumfries MSP highlighted the local picture on bowel cancer during a members’ debate into the topic heard at Holyrood this week.
Mr Carson said: “As we have heard in previous members’ debates on a variety of cancers, it is often all about statistics – some good, some not so and others that simply cannot be ignored as much as we would possibly like to.
“Bowel cancer is no different. It is the fourth most common cancer but, sadly, is the second biggest cancer killer.
“Some 44,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with the disease every year and, tragically, just under half lose their lives including 1,700 people living in Scotland.”
But the Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP stressed it doesn’t have to be this way as bowel cancer is treatable and curable if diagnosed early.
He explained: “Nine out of 10 people will survive if diagnosed at the earliest stages of one and two.
“Key to saving lives is diagnosing patients earlier – yet only 40 per cent of cases in Scotland are caught before the disease has spread.
“This must change if we are to achieve our vision of a future where nobody dies of bowel cancer.”
Praising local statistics, Mr Carson confirmed the bowel cancer mortality rate is now thankfully lower than the national figure, although there were still over 45 deaths from the disease in Dumfries and Galloway.
He continued: “So, in the south west of Scotland, the overall picture is looking promising although there is much still needed to be done to improve these figures even further in the times ahead.
“It remains the onus of the Scottish Government to initiate bold steps to improve early diagnosis of bowel cancer and improve patient outcomes.
“Bowel cancer screening remains one of the best ways to diagnose people early with the UK National Screening Committee recommending that people aged between 50 and 74 are invited to be screened every two years.”
An important issue that also needed to be addressed urgently was long-standing staff shortages in endoscopy and pathology services.
Mr Carson said: “Again, I would urged the Scottish Government to act to relieve the pressures on diagnostic services by tackling workforce issues.”
The local MSP praised his Conservative colleague Edward Mountain, who has recently receiving treatment for bowel cancer. He has since become a strong advocate for bowel cancer awareness by encouraging others to get checked for early signs of the disease.
