They showed 94.6% of urgently referred patients diagnosed with cancer in Scotland began their treatment within 62 days of the initial referral during the period July to September. The target is 95%, and NHS Tayside recorded treatment within that period in 224 of 235 cases (95.3%).

The longest wait was 100 days, for a breast cancer patient.

In Fife, the target was achieved in 172 of 180 urgent cases (95.6%), although the longest wait recorded during the period — a urology case —was 133 days.

Ms Sturgeon said, “It is very welcome to see that the majority of patients diagnosed with cancer, who were urgently referred, are rightly starting their treatment within two months.

“The figures published today show the majority of boards met the 62 day cancer target over this quarter but we know that variation in performance has occurred in the past and I look to see this recent performance now sustained above 95%, consistently across all boards.

“We know how important it is for cancer patients, and for their families, to be treated quickly.

“Boards are tackling the challenge head on and their efforts, supported by Scottish Government's Cancer Performance Support Team, have resulted in substantial progress since 2007. In many areas boards are performing over and above the 95% target and I am hopeful that the advances made to meet the target for breast, lung, ovarian and urology cancers will be extended to all cancers before long.

“The target needs to be met consistently, in full, in every board across Scotland.

“Ensuring that the majority of cancer patients are treated within 62 days of referral is crucial to speeding up the time taken in delivering care and treatment to patients, an essential ambition of Scotland's action plan, Better Cancer Care.”