Women in Ireland have 67% chance of surviving lung cancer diagnosis, study reveals

The study, which focused on women aged between 15 and 54 showcased some stark differences based on the country in which the sample was taken. Picture: PA Photo/thinkstockphotos

Women in Ireland have a 67% chance of survival upon being diagnosed with lung cancer, a new study has found.

The study, which focused on women aged between 15 and 54 showcased some stark differences based on the country in which the sample was taken.

Women in the UK had a 51% chance of survival following diagnosis.

In contrast, Norwegian women had a 64% chance of survival in the first year after diagnosis.

The study, conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), focused on the crude probability of surviving and dying from lung cancer and other causes one year after diagnosis.

Published in the Lancet Oncology journal, the study, which includes data from a combined total of over 1.4m patients diagnosed with 15 varying types of cancer, was carried out across a total of four continents.

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The project, coined Cancer Survival in Countries in Transition, Volume 3 (SURVCAN-3), is a group collaboration between the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the Global Initiative for Cancer Registry Development (GICR), and population-based cancer registries worldwide.

This research project aims to increase the local capacity of registries to seek data on cancer survival in an effort to benchmark national estimates of survival, assisting in the development of cancer control policies.

As part of the SURVCAN-3 process, patients were treated to follow-up appointments to determine their vital status, with their chance of survival estimated at one, three and five-year markers following diagnosis.

Deputy Head of the Cancer Surveillance Branch at IARC, Dr Isabelle Soerjomataram said: “Survival varies substantially across countries in transition, especially for those cancer types that can be diagnosed or detected early and treated effectively.

Countries with higher levels of national development tend to have higher survival rates.

“For example, for breast cancer, net survival at three years after diagnosis ranges from 56% in the Islamic Republic of Iran to 94% in the Republic of Korea. This illustrates the need for national strategies to detect breast cancer early while improving access to effective treatment.” 

'For breast cancer, net survival at three years after diagnosis ranges from 56% in the Islamic Republic of Iran to 94% in the Republic of Korea. This illustrates the need for national strategies to detect breast cancer early while improving access to effective treatment,' Dr Soerjomataram said.

Since its culmination in the 1990s, the number of registries within the project has grown tremendously.

“The SURVCAN-3 study more than doubles the number of cancer registries participating, to 68,” says Dr Freddie Bray, Head of the Cancer Surveillance Branch at IARC. 

“This is due recognition of the strong commitment of registries to collect additional information to estimate cancer survival, as well as a growing interest in survival statistics aimed at continuously improving outcomes for those diagnosed with cancer.” 

The project aims to improve local coverage and quality of population-based cancer data within countries, allowing governments and policy makers to identify growing trends and equip them with the necessary surveillance tools to reduce the burden of cancer worldwide.

IARC Director Dr Elisabete Weiderpas said: “In addition to incidence and mortality statistics, survival estimates derived from population-based cancer registry data provide baseline information for effective cancer control.”

“Accurate cancer survival estimates are essential for countries to examine the effectiveness of their health systems and how to respond effectively to improve national cancer outcomes,” Dr Weiderpas added.