The proportion of people diagnosed with the most common cancers at the earliest stage, when their chances of recovery are highest, is falling in NHS Highland, but rising in every Scottish area except the Borders.
The NHS Highland area, which includes Lochaber and Skye, saw the percentage of patients diagnosed at stage 1 for breast, colorectal and lung cancers fall to 24.3 per cent in 2016-17, from 24.7 per cent the previous year, representing 50 fewer diagnoses.
NHS Highland said: ‘During the two-year period January 1 2016 to December 31 2017, 24.3 per cent of patients resident within the NHS Highland area were diagnosed at the earliest stage, which is only slightly less than the Scottish performance of 25.1 per cent.