Scotland's cancer survival record is sometimes inappropriately compared with that of European countries and the USA. Scotland's cancer registry collects data on all cancer registrations across the total population - unlike those of many of its European and USA counterparts - which can lead to unfavourable comparisons of outcomes.The Scottish Cancer Registry/Cancer Intelligence Unit continuously scrutinise our data on survival and are involved in European and USA programmes of comparative survival analysis, working together in striving to understand the reasons for the apparent differences in survival.I expect the latest cancer survival data to be published in the near future and I am confident that this will show improvements in Scotland's record over the last 20 to 25 years.Cancer continues as one of the three clinical priorities for the NHS in Scotland.