Wales has ranked among the worst in the world for survival rate for six of the deadliest cancers, new data released on Less Survivable Cancers Awareness Day has revealed.

Welsh survival rates of deadly cancers including lung, liver, brain, oesophageal, pancreatic, and stomach cancer are damningly low compared to other countries of similar wealth and income, according to the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce (LSCT).

These six cancers have a 16 per cent rate of survival within five years, dubbed the 'deadly cancer gap' by LSCT.

Wales ranks 32nd out of 33 comparable countries for its survival rates for stomach cancer, and 31st for pancreatic and lung cancer, averaging at 24th overall.

The UK as a whole ranks similarly badly across all four nations. The best-performing countries for survival rates were Korea, Belgium, USA, Australia, and China.

If people in the UK survived at similar rates to these countries, more than 8,000 lives would be saved each year.

LSCT says this "deadly gap" is caused by slow diagnoses and access to treatment, with many diagnoses happening after an emergency admission to hospital.

This comes as Macmillan Cancer Support produced damning data showing only one in two patients in Wales were starting their cancer treatment on time. Christine Tattersall, 73, from Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, miraculously survived her diagnosis of stage 4 oesophagael cancer in 2018. She said: “I feel so lucky to be alive. I left it a year before going to see my GP after experiencing heartburn and increasing difficulties swallowing my food. 

"My consultant told me I had about two years to live as oesophageal cancer was deadly. I was heartbroken and angry with myself for not going to see the GP earlier.”

According to the LSCT seven in 10 patients receive no treatment at all for pancreatic cancer and of the 10,000 people diagnosed annually, just 10 per cent receive surgery.

These poor outcomes are often the result of patients waiting too long for a confirmed diagnosis and for treatment to begin.

The less survivable cancers make up nearly half of all common cancer deaths in the UK and over 90,000 people are diagnosed with one of the less survivable cancers in the UK every year.

Despite their prevalence, the less survivable cancers receive a fraction (16.6 per cent) of cancer research funding.

The LSCT is now calling for Welsh and UK governments to take deadly cancers more seriously by implementing targeted screening and monitoring of those most at risk.

Judi Rhys MBE, Chief Executive of Tenovus Cancer Care and Chair of the LSCT Wales, said: “People diagnosed with one of these six cancers still have a shockingly low life expectancy.

"The figures released today are concerning and it’s extremely disappointing to see how poorly Wales, and the UK, compares to our international counterparts.

“The actions we’ve repeatedly called for would have a huge impact on survival. These latest statistics should be a strong reminder to Welsh Government of the importance of prioritising and accelerating cancer survival initiatives.

“Without concerted effort and action now, we will continue to miss opportunities to save lives.”

Delyth Jewell, MS and Plaid Cymru Deputy Leader in the Senedd, said: "Improving outcomes for less survivable cancers is something that would make an enormous difference to people across the country and it's also a cause close to my heart.

"We must come together, regardless of our political differences, to bring Wales and the whole of the UK on a level with other countries when it comes to survivability.

"I fully support Less Survivable Cancers Awareness Day and everyone working to defeat these devastating cancers."