High survival rates for stages 1-3 cancer diagnoses

Data from the Office for National Statistics and Public Health England suggests that adults diagnosed with stage one skin, prostate or breast cancer have the same chance of being alive a year later as the general population.

The estimates are based on cancer diagnoses in England from 2012 – 2016. They have identified that women diagnosed with breast cancer, 90% will survive for a year unless they are diagnosed at stage four, when the figure drops to 66%.

In men with prostate cancer, survival rates a year after diagnosis are very nearly 100% for stages for one – three, dropping to 87.6% for stage four diagnosis.

For stage one – four diagnoses, skin cancer (melanoma) has the highest one-year survival rate, of 97.4% for men and 98.6% for women, and pancreatic cancer has the lowest, at 23.7% and 25.3%.

Sarah Caul, head of cancer analysis at the Office for National Statistics said “This research shows a mixed picture but does stress the need for awareness and early diagnosis”.

The differences in survival are thought to be down to lower numbers of cases being diagnosed early in England.

Ruth Thorlby, assistant director of policy at think tank the Health Foundation, said improving cancer survival figures reflected sustained investment over the past two decades.

But she said more had to be done if the prime minister’s plan to improve survival through earlier diagnosis was to be achieved.

Kate Smith, Solicitor in the Medical Negligence team at Ashtons Legal comments: “What is clear from this data is that early diagnosis is key in improving cancer survival figures. In order to continue with improving England’s cancer survival figures, more focus and resources need to be put in place in order to ensure the correct additional equipment is available, there is an increase in the staff available to diagnose and provide treatment as well as improving training for identifying early signs of cancer.”