A surgery shortfall is to blame for the lowest lung cancer survival rate in Europe, a report finds today.

A working group formed by the British Thoracic Society and the Society of Cardiothoracic Surgeons has found there are 40,000 new cases of lung cancer diagnosed each year, making it the most common form of the disease in the UK and investigation found that less than 10 per cent of patients are operated on, a rate which reduces to 2 per cent among the over 75s.

The report, "Critical Under-provision of Thoracic Surgery in the UK", found a shortage of specialists in the area of thoracic surgery, while those that do specialise in this area face additional pressure from the National Service Framework for coronary artery disease. There is no such framework in place for lung treatment.

The working group is calling on the government for an investment increase for respiratory disease treatment, more beds to meet the number set in the National Cancer Plan, and for 50 more specialist surgeons, in order to meet the European average number of thoracic surgeons.

Chair of the working group, Professor Tom Treasure, said: "There is little doubt that urgent improvements are needed to improve lung cancer surgery rates in the UK. An increase in the number of surgeons dedicated to thoracic surgery will ensure that all suitable patients are operated on - regardless of age."

Chair of the British Thoracic Society, Professor Martyn Partridge, suggested that patients were being discriminated against.

"Lung cancer patients in the UK - especially those aged over 75 - are not getting the treatment they deserve. It seems that disease discrimination and age discrimination have developed within the NHS and many patients may be dying unnecessarily," he said.

"We hope that this government will take note of our recommendations and take action to improve survival rates for patients with lung cancer."