A new report that compares the survival rates for four cancers in six industrialized countries offers some good news for Canadians: cancer patients here have higher survival rates than patients in many other countries.
But, with more than 174,000 new cancer diagnoses each year in Canada, there is still work to be done, experts say.
The study, published today in The Lancet medical journal, looked at four cancers -- breast, lung, ovarian and colorectal cancer -- in six countries with universal health care: Australia, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the U.K. and Canada.
Canada scored among the highest among six other countries in terms of survival rates at the one-year- and five-years-after diagnosis mark.
The study, an initiative of the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership (ICBP), is based on data for 2.4 million adults in the six countries diagnosed with one of the four cancer types between 1995 and 2007.
Survival rates rose in all the countries during the study period. But survival was generally higher in Canada, Australia, and Sweden. It was intermediate in Norway, and lower in Denmark and the U.K.
"This tells us some good news that cancer survival is getting better worldwide and Canada is one of the leaders among the countries studied," Dr. Heather Bryant of the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer told Â鶹´«Ã½.
"This is information that says we are getting better, survival rates are improving in Canada and that within Canada we compare very well with the rest of the world."
For example, the one year survival rate for diagnosed lung cancer between 2005 and 2007 was:
- 44 per cent for Sweden
- 43 per cent for Australia
- 42 per cent for Canada
- 39 per cent for Norway
- 35 per cent for Denmark
- 30 per cent for Britain
The five year survival rate for lung cancer for Canada was 18 per cent, compared to 17 per cent in Australia and 16 per cent in Sweden, and between eight and nine per cent in the U.K.
"And so even though we're struggling with our lung cancer survival rates, it's good to know that we're doing world-class treatment here," Bryant told The Canadian Press.
Canada also had the top survival rate for ovarian cancer.
The study also said five-year colon cancer survival rates in Canada have improved, placing second in the six countries.
"We know that colorectal cancer screening programs are rolling out across the country, and we expect to see some pretty sharp increases in survival as we start seeing people get detected earlier and earlier with cancer," Bryant said.
Canadian's survival rates for cancer ranked third in the countries studied.
Doctors credit provincial programs that diagnose patients earlier, getting them into treatment faster.
"There have been investments . . . in improving waiting lists, in cancer systems in all parts of the countries and you can conclude this is paying off," Dr. Mary Gospodarwicz of the Princess Margaret Hospital Program told Â鶹´«Ã½.
