Cancer survival rates

The Ministry of Health has published data on cancer survival rates in NZ. They show survival rates are increasing over time (which is good), and have a huge amount of data on survival rates for different cancers, including demographic breakdowns.

People may be interested in which cancers have the best and worst survival rates, so I have charted them below. Note these are averages, and a lot depends on how early a cancer is diagnosed.

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The survival rate after one year for all adult cancers is 78%. The only ones below 50% after one year are Pancreas, Lung, Oesophagus and Liver.

The least lethal cancer after one year is testis cancer. Still rather not have it!

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More grim looking five years out, but still a 63% survival rate after five years for all adult cancers.  For five cancers the survival rate is below 20% – pancreas, lung, oesophagus, liver and brain.

Seven cancers have a survival rate of over 80% after five years – testis, thyroid, prostate, melanoma, breast, Hodgkin Lymphoma and Childhood.

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