More women are surviving breast cancer

However, improvements in treatment have resulted in a 30% fall in the breast cancer death rate in the past decade.

The CSBS also found that 75% of patients were now alive five years after being diagnosed with the disease.

The survival rate for patients with ovarian cancer was not as favourable.

The cancer is much more rare, resulting in about 500 new cases a year but is much harder to diagnose and most patients die within 18 months of diagnosis.

The CSBS has voiced concern over "unacceptably long" delays in radiotherapy and in diagnosis of ovarian cancer.

It said: "No Scottish hospital was able to meet the standard of providing radiotherapy treatment within four weeks for 70% of patients."

This lets everyone see what is happening and is already acting as a spur to improve services further

Lord Patel, CSBS chairman

The CSBS added that a national plan had been devised to increase the number of radiotherapy machines and hasten treatment.

Chemotherapy services in some parts of the country were also said to be "stretched" due to demand and a shortage of oncologists.

The CSBS, which looked at services across all of Scotland's health trusts and boards, has called for changes in the referral system to and between hospitals to improve the chances of detecting ovarian cancer.

CSBS chairman, Lord Naren Patel, said the report was "the first detailed examination of cancer services in Scotland".

He said: "What that has produced is information indicating where further improvements can be made leading to deliver higher standards of care for patients.

"This lets everyone - the patients, the public, the health professionals and politicians - see what is happening and is already acting as a spur to improve services further."