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.

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!

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.