Predictions for Finnish cancer patients improved significantly
A research carried out by Finnish Cancer Register reveals that the likelihood of recovery from cancer has increased significantly in the past five years. Finnish cancer patients' survival rate is exceptionally strong even according to international standards. The reasons for improved predictions are early diagnostics and the improvement of the effect of cancer treatments in the 21st century.
The research took into consideration 14 most common types of cancer among adult patients. Approximately 26 000 patients are diagnosed with cancer in Finland every year.
The five year survival prediction for cancer patients of the most common types, prostate and breast cancer, is nearly hundred per cent. Up to 99.8 per cent of prostate cancer patients and 97.5 per cent of breast cancer patients are alive five years after their diagnosis. Also the prediction for melanoma patients has improved in the last five years and is now 84 per cent.
There are major differences between different cancer types. For instance, the five year prediction for kidney cancer patients is 59 per cent. From all the difficult cancer cases the prediction for instance for colon cancer patients has improved remarkably up to 60 per cent. In average 66 per cent of all cancer patients were still alive five years after their initial diagnosis. The research was based on information on cancer cases in Finland from 2003-2006.
The Finnish Cancer Registry maintains a nation-wide database on all cancer cases in Finland since 1953. In addition, it is an internationally active institute for statistical and epidemiological cancer research.
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