In both the short and long term, the survival of cancer patients improves significantly. Screening and early detection of the 3 common cancers helps with this.
The results of cancer in France are generally positive. The three most frequent forms see the 5-year survival improve significantly: breast (+7 point, 87%), colon-rectum (+9 points, 63%), prostate (+22 points, 94%) This is what emerges from a report from the National Cancer Institute (INCa) presented on February 2 (1). In blood and lung cancer, on the other hand, the situation is still as gloomy.
Between 1989 and 2013, six forms of cancer experienced a real improvement in terms of 5-year survival. Progress is particularly marked in prostate tumors and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. This phenomenon is explained by an improvement in care and treatment, but also by earlier diagnosis. Organized screening campaigns – which concern breast cancer and colorectal cancer – are part of this positive development.
Poor lung outcomes
The prognosis, however, remains gloomy for lung cancer, the leading cause of death in men and the second in women. Often late diagnosis and the presence of risk factors are involved. Indeed, other cancers linked to alcohol and tobacco also suffer from poor survival in the short and medium term.
The results are more positive at 10-15 years, according to INCa data. This is the first time that such data is available. As in the short term, life expectancy varies greatly depending on the type of cancer.
Those benefiting from early screening or treatment are accompanied by better results. Blood cancers, on the other hand, are characterized by a very low survival rate. This is also the case with lung cancer, for which the picture is particularly gloomy: 14% of young patients are still alive at 15 years old, only 5% of elderly patients.
Not surprisingly, young patients enjoy better survival in all cancers. But the INCa report also highlights disparities by sex. In solid tumors, women often do the best.
(1) New data on the survival of people with cancer in mainland France
Short- and medium-term survival is improving in patients with #cancer in France, as shown by these latest figures from the National Cancer Institute: Let’s mobilize against cancer.
Posted by Why actor on Tuesday, February 2, 2016
5-year survival improves in several types of #Cancer [@Institut_cancer] https://t.co/CuQ8idh0sV #health pic.twitter.com/9S0yHc4vvs
– Pourquoidocteur (@Pourquoidocteur) February 2, 2016
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