For men, the all-cancers survival index ranged from 25 to 32% in eastern European populations and from 40 to 47% in most of the Nordic and western European populations. For England, Scotland, Wales and Denmark the range was from 33 to 37%, slightly below the European average of 38%.
For women, the range was from 41 to 47% in eastern European countries and in the narrow range of 55 to 58% in ten of the Nordic and western European countries. For England, Scotland, Wales and Denmark the range was from 47 to 51%, slightly below the European average of 52%.
However, while survival in the UK and Denmark was generally below the European average, these countries had either above or about average survival rates for melanoma, testicular cancer and Hodgkin's disease illustrating how countries performed differently for different cancers.
Some cancers showed particularly wide differences in survival. Lung cancer varied more than two-fold although the best rates were still under 15%. In some cancers there was evidence that the nature of the cancer was contributing to differences. For example, stomach cancer survival was higher in western Europe where incidence is high than in the Nordic countries and the UK where incidence is lower. Survival was relatively high in southern Europe because of a higher proportion of tumours in which either the location of the tumour or the specific type of tumour conferred a better prognosis.
For 30 of the 35 cancers examined that occur in both sexes, survival was higher in women. According to the researchers the advantage among women was most likely to arise from sex differences in tumour biology, immune system mechanisms, symptom awareness, stage of disease at diagnosis or access to effective treatment.
Turning to time trends since the mid-1980s, one of the most worrying aspects was the widening gap in cancer survival between eastern Europe and other parts
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Contact: Mary Rice
mary.rice@blueprintpartners.be
45-3252-4163
Federation of European Cancer Societies
25-Sep-2003