Cancer survival rate after 10 years now at 54 per cent

The majority of Irish cancer patients survive the disease for at least 10 years, according to new figures that reveal the rapid progress being made in fighting cancer.

Four out of five people with skin melanoma or prostate cancer, and almost three-quarters of those diagnosed with breast cancer, will also be alive a decade later, previously unpublished data from the National Cancer Registry shows.

The estimated 10-year survival rate for all major cancers, excluding non-melanoma skin cancer, is almost 54 per cent.

This compares with five-year survival of almost 59 per cent.

Ten-year survival rates for the main types of cancer vary hugely, from 85 per cent for prostate cancer down to 12.8 per cent for lung cancer.

The figures, which relate to the years 2008-2012, show a slight decline in survival rates between five years and 10 years.

For example, the five-year survival rate for women with breast cancer is 81 per cent, but this falls to 72.5 per cent at 10 years.

Net survival for cervical cancer is 61 per cent at five years and 53 per cent at 10 years, while the corresponding figures for colorectal cancer are 60 per cent and 55 per cent.

Up to now, the registry has published data for five-year survival only, but the preliminary 10-year rates were supplied to The Irish Times in advance of the publication shortly of a comprehensive paper by epidemiologist Paul Walsh.

Other causes

The figures describe the percentage of people with cancer who are alive a decade after diagnosis, excluding those who have died of other causes.

However, this does not mean people are free of cancer. Some will be cured while others are still living with the disease.

Dr Derek Power, consultant oncologist at Cork University Hospital, described the figures as "great news" while adding that they should be treated with caution.

“The overall figures include cases where the cancer is diagnosed at an early stage, so the survival rates for advanced cancer are much lower than the average.”

This highlighted the need for people to seek help as soon as possible, and to avail of the screening programmes available for cervical, breast and colorectal cancer, he said.

“Many cancers have become chronic diseases rather than killers. You’re more likely to die with prostate cancer than of it, for example.

“It shows the huge progress made thanks to better treatments, improved surgery, screening programmes and, most of all, greater patient awareness.”

The Irish figures compared with an overall 10-year cancer survival of almost 50 per cent in England and Wales in 2010-2011.

Last year, an international study found the UK and Ireland has lower five-year survival rates than the European average for many cancers, particularly of the colon, ovary, kidney, stomach and lung types.