HC Deb 21 November 1966 vol 736 cc217-8W
62. Mr. Pavitt

asked the Minister of Health what is his estimate of the deaths last year from lung cancer if the official figures were corrected to the extent revealed in the investigation reported in Accuracy of Certification of Cause of Death issued by the General Register Office.

Mr. K. Robinson

On the basis of the findings of this investigation the Registrar General's figure for deaths from lung cancer in England and Wales in 1965 might be increased by around 15 per cent., from 26,398 to some 30,000.

Mr. Pavitt

asked the Minister of Health if he will initiate research into the reasons why lung cancer is diagnosed as the cause of death less frequently by doctors than is found by autopsy.

Mr. K. Robinson

No. The report of the General Register Office's survey of "Accuracy of Certification of Cause of Death" shows that the main reason is the difficulty of determining the site of the primary growth when the disease is advanced.