- FoI Number
- 2025-258
- Subject
- Cancer Staging
- Date Received
- 15/07/2025
- Request and Response
-
Please could you provide the following data for the past two calendar years (or most recent available), broken down by year:
- Cancer Staging at Diagnosis
The number and percentage of patients diagnosed with cancer at each stage (Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, Stage 4), by cancer type if possible.
In accordance with FOISA s 17(1), NHS Shetland confirms that it does not hold the information requested. This data is not captured for Scottish Waiting times or Audit.
- Time from Referral to Diagnosis
The average and median number of days between urgent GP referral (2-week wait or equivalent) and confirmed cancer diagnosis.
The Scottish Cancer Waiting Times data set does not hold date of diagnosis, however, it does hold ‘Date of Decision to Treat’ (DTT).
Below is the average wait from date of referral to date of decision to treat:
DTT 2023 – average wait = 49 days & median = 41 days
DTT 2024 – average wait = 53 days & median = 46
- Time from Diagnosis to First Treatment
The average and median number of days between confirmed diagnosis and start of first treatment (e.g. surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy), by cancer type if possible.
The Scottish Cancer Waiting Times data set does not hold date of diagnosis, however, it does hold ‘Date of Decision to Treat’ (DTT).
Below is the average wait from Date of Decision to Treat to Treatment date:
2023:
Breast: average wait = 9 days & median = 9 days
Colorectal: average wait = 8 days & median = 7 days
Head and Neck: average wait = 21 days & median = 26 days
Lung: average wait = 10 days & median = 8 days
Lymphoma: average wait = 6 days & median = 5 days
Melanoma: average wait = 0 days & median = 0 days
Ovarian: average wait = 10 days & median = 10 days
Upper GI: average wait = 3 days & median = 0 days
Urology: average wait = 12 days & median = 2 days
2024:
Breast: average wait = 4 days & median = 4 days
Cervical: average wait = 0 days & median = 0 days
Colorectal: average wait = 8 days & median = 9 days
Head & Neck: average wait = 6 days & median = 5 days
Lung: average wait = 5 days & median = 0 days
Lymphoma: average wait = 4 days & median = 1 day
Melanoma: average wait = 0 days & median = 0 days
Ovarian: average wait = 9 days & median = 7 days
Upper GI: average wait = 5 days & median = 0 days
Urology: average wait = 15 days & median = 0 days
- Delays or Breaches of Waiting Time Targets
The number of patients whose treatment did not begin within the nationally recommended waiting time targets (e.g. 62 days from urgent referral), broken down by year and cancer type.
2023:
Colorectal <5
Lung <5
Upper GI <5
Breast <5
Lymphoma <5
Urology 9
2024:
Colorectal <5
Lung <5
Head & Neck <5
Lymphoma <5
Urology 15
Where we have given <5 answers, this is because NHS Shetland considers that providing more specific information carries a high risk of identifying individuals. As such and in accordance with FOISA s 16(1), NHS Shetland confirms that it holds the information requested but that it is exempt from disclosure under FOISA s 38(1)(b) as read with s 38 (2A) as the information constitutes personal data and disclosure would breach the confidentiality of the data subjects.
