Living in a high-income country promotes better survival rates for cancer patients. This is revealed by a study conducted by the International Agency for Research against Cancer.
Could living in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway or the United Kingdom impact our cancer survival rate? It is on these countries that a study conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, an agency of the WHO (World Health Organization). Published on September 11 in the British magazine The Lancet Oncologythe results indicate that the survival rate of patients living in these seven countries and suffering from cancer of the oesophagus, stomach, colon, rectum, pancreas, lungs or ovaries, has “significantly improved” over the past twenty years.
To conduct this study, data from 3.9 million people with cancer diagnosed between 1995 and 2014 was collected. Their histology, their morphology, the stage of their cancer or their treatment were taken into account so that 3,764,543 cases of cancer were finally retained. Survival rates at one and five years after diagnosis were then calculated according to the type of cancer, the age of the patients and the period of diagnosis.
Superior survival improvements for patients younger than 75
The researchers noted that age was a determining factor: patients under the age of 75 show greater survival improvements than their elders, especially for cancers with a poor prognosis – which have a higher mortality rate – such as that of the esophagus, stomach, pancreas and lung. Another observation: over the period 2010-2014, survival was generally higher in Australia, Canada and Norway than in the four other countries covered by the study.
In view of these results, the researchers point out that “although cancer survival continues to improve in high-income countries, international disparities persist, even for cancers with the worst prognoses”.
Marked increase in rectal cancer survival
Whatever the country, the study shows that one cancer has particularly stood out in the progression of its survival rate: it is that of the rectum, which also has the lowest mortality rate. Thus, out of all the seven countries studied, 47.6% (in Ireland) to 59.1% (in Australia) of people diagnosed with this type of cancer between 1995 and 1999 were still alive five years later, compared to 62 .1% (United Kingdom) to 70.8% (Australia) patients over the period 2010-2014.
In contrast, the deadliest cancer and whose five-year survival rate after diagnosis has progressed the least well over the past twenty years is that of the pancreas. If it was between 3.2% (Denmark) and 8.8% (New Zealand) during the period 1995-1999, the rate of patients who survived five years later was between 7.9% (United Kingdom United) and 14.6% (Australia) in 2010-2014.
“Earlier diagnoses, more effective and adapted treatments”
“The common improvements in cancer survival reported in this study are likely the direct consequences of major health care reforms and technological advances that have enabled earlier diagnoses, more effective and responsive treatments, and better patient management than in previous years“, analyze the researchers. In particular, they call for “investing in early diagnosis and screening programs”, as well as “ensuring that patients have equitable access to the best treatments”.
