- FoI Number
- 2025-279
- Subject
- Cancer Diagnosis
- Date Received
- 18/07/2025
- Request and Response
-
For each of the past five years, please send me:
- The number of patients in Shetland who have been diagnosed with cancer.
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 number of patients who have a Decision to Treat for each year:
2020 – 80
2021 – 83
2022 – 123
2023 – 90
2024 – 98
- For each of these, please provide a breakdown of the type of cancer (e.g. breast, ovarian, prostate, lung, skin, etc) and a breakdown of the patients' age group and gender.
Patients’ age and gender is not captured for Scottish Waiting times or Audit.
Below is a breakdown of type of cancer for each year:
Cancer type
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Breast
9
14
16
7
<5
Cervical
<5
<5
<5
0
<5
Colorectal
7
12
24
14
7
Head & Neck
<5
<5
9
<5
7
Lung
17
10
14
10
12
Lymphoma
<5
<5
5
6
6
Melanoma
5
<5
5
<5
5
Ovarian
<5
0
<5
<5
<5
Upper GI
10
19
13
11
13
Urology
22
19
34
34
40
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.
Please note Public Health Scotland routinely publishes information on Cancer Waits in quarterly reports and open access database. The information you are seeking is immediately available to you without having to wait on Boards responding. NHS Shetland reference number in the open access data base is S08000026
