OVERALL the National Audit Office report into cancer treatment services makes for depressing reading.

While the fall in death rates is to be welcomed, the rise in the number of cases and the variation in the standard of care are alarming.

It is clear from the report that with the best treatment available the number of deaths can be reduced.

It is of no surprise that those areas which adopt best practices have the best survival rates. What is a surprise is that best practices are not being adopted across the country.

It is staggering that within a supposedly national health service, there are no consistent standards and expectations.

Treatment should be given according to need, not according to postcode.

The Government has rightly placed both emphasis and resources into improving cancer care. It is apparent that some areas have responded as they should have done.

But, for whatever reason, other areas have not. The Government must act with urgency on the findings of this report to ensure that those areas which are lagging behind catch up, and catch up rapidly.

In the long term, however, we should all be concerned by the increase in cancer cases.

While it is right that investment is put into research, screening, diagnosis and treatment, priority must also be given to prevention.

The suspicion is that smoking and lifestyles have an impact on the prevalence of cancer.

Education is the key in the battle against the disease. Going hand in hand with improvements in treatment, there should be an expansion in campaigns, making us all aware of the need for healthy eating, healthy living, and the dangers of smoking.