Hansard

I, too, thank Marie McNair for securing this debate in the chamber. I also thank AMMF for all the work that it does to support research on cholangiocarcinoma, raise awareness and support those who have been diagnosed. Its campaign and Marie McNair’s call to ensure the funding for testing are so important, and I look forward to the minister’s response to them.

Although it has often been documented that cholangiocarcinoma is rare, I was really interested in Marie McNair’s point about the changing reality of that rarity—I had not picked up on that, so I was glad to hear about it in the debate. Bile duct cancer is aggressive and it is on the rise: it is considered to be the second most common primary liver cancer in the world. As we have heard from others, the incidence is higher in Scotland than in England; we must seek to understand why that is and what we can do about it.

The debate will help to highlight the causes of and risk factors for bile duct cancer, as well as to increase awareness. That is why it is so important that debates such as this are secured. Marie McNair is excellent at using her members’ business debates to do that.

We have already heard that timely diagnosis and treatment are crucial, and we also know that the diagnosis of bile duct cancer can often come late, resulting in poorer outcomes. I want to highlight—as I often do—the health inequalities that others have mentioned. People in more deprived areas have higher rates of preventable cancers and are more likely to be diagnosed at later stages. When we are speaking about bile duct cancer, which tends to be diagnosed at a late stage, it is important to have that in our minds. We must always seek ways to ensure that the cancer inequality gap is closed. I know that the minister has spoken about that in the chamber; she might mention it again in her closing speech.

As we read in the motion, bile duct cancer symptoms are difficult to spot, particularly at an early stage. The risk factors are largely unknown and it is believed that the cause of bile duct cancer is likely to be a combination of factors, including other illnesses that cause chronic damage to the liver and bile ducts. Although it is most common in people over the age of 60, incidence of the cancer is increasing across all age groups, including among younger people, which emphasises the need to increase public awareness of symptoms, risk factors and treatment options.

Although there is no guaranteed way to avoid bile duct cancer, people can take proactive steps to reduce their chances of developing the disease. When I was researching this, I looked at information from NHS Inform, which suggests that healthy lifestyle factors such as quitting smoking would also have positive impacts on people’s health in that way. Smoking is a leading and silent killer. When smoking rates reduce across Scotland, people’s health, lifestyles and outcomes improve. It is important that the Parliament commits to funding for smoking cessation and other health-improvement measures.

In relation to the link to liver damage, other measures that have come to light are reducing alcohol intake and minimising exposure to hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses. Doing those will, we think, help with this cancer and others.

We know that there should be a greater focus on Scotland’s relationship with alcohol and its culture of binge drinking. Through targeted interventions to lower excessive drinking rates, we will reduce people’s chances not only of developing cancers such as cholangiocarcinoma, but of developing other diseases.

I repeat my appreciation to Marie McNair for bringing the issue to the chamber. Awareness of the condition is so important, and I know that the minister will give a good response to the debate.