Global cancer survival rates improve, but wide gaps remain

Cancer patients' survival prospects are improving, even for some with the deadliest types such as lung cancer, but there are huge disparities between countries, particularly where child patients are concerned, according to a recent study.

In the most up-to-date study of cancer survival trends – between 2010 and 2014 – covering countries that are home to two-thirds of the world’s population, researchers found some significant progress, but also wide variations.

While brain tumour survival in children has improved in many countries, the study showed that for children diagnosed as recently as 2014, five-year survival is twice as high in Denmark and Sweden, at around 80 per cent, as it is in Mexico and Brazil, at less than 40 per cent.

This gap was most likely to be a result of variations in the availability and quality of cancer diagnosis and treatment services, the researchers said.

“Despite improvements in awareness, services and treatments, cancer still kills more than 100,000 children every year worldwide,” said Michel Coleman, a professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, who co-led the research.

“If we are to ensure that more children survive cancer for longer, we need reliable data on the cost and effectiveness of health services in all countries, to compare the impact of strategies in managing childhood cancer.”

For the research, known as the Concord-3 study and published in The Lancet medical journal, the scientists analysed patient records from 322 registries in 71 countries and territories, comparing five-year survival rates for 18 common cancers for more than 37.5 million adults and children.

For most cancers over the past 15 years, survival is highest in a few wealthy countries – the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Finland, Norway, Iceland and Sweden.

For women diagnosed with breast cancer in Australia and the United States between 2010 and 2014 for example, five-year survival is 90 per cent. That compares to 66 per cent for women diagnosed in India.

Within Europe, five-year breast cancer survival increased to at least 85 per cent in 16 countries including Britain, compared with 71 per cent in Eastern Europe.

The researchers noted that in some parts of the world, estimation of survival is limited by incomplete data and by legal or administrative obstacles to updating the cancer records with a patient's date of death. In Africa, they said, as many as 40 per cent of patient records did not have full follow-up data, so survival trends could not be systematically assessed.

Brief scores:

Toss: Sindhis, elected to field first

Kerala Knights 103-7 (10 ov)

Parnell 59 not out; Tambe 5-15

Sindhis 104-1 (7.4 ov)

Watson 50 not out, Devcich 49

hall of shame

SUNDERLAND 2002-03

No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.

SUNDERLAND 2005-06

Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.

HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19

Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.

ASTON VILLA 2015-16

Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.

FULHAM 2018-19

Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.

LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.

BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66

Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

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Specs

Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
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On Women's Day

Dr Nawal Al-Hosany: Why more women should be on the frontlines of climate action

Shelina Janmohamed: Why shouldn't a spouse be compensated fairly for housework?

Samar Elmnhrawy: How companies in the Middle East can catch up on gender equality

Justin Thomas: Challenge the notion that 'men are from Mars, women are from Venus'

MATCH INFO

Barcelona 5 (Lenglet 2', Vidal 29', Messi 34', 75', Suarez 77')

Valladolid 1 (Kiko 15')

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The low down

Producers: Uniglobe Entertainment & Vision Films

Director: Namrata Singh Gujral

Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Nargis Fakhri, Bo Derek, Candy Clark

Rating: 2/5

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

World Mental Health Day

Troubled adolescents and cancer patients in sharp focus

Social media cause of unbearable pressure among young people, says parent

The hidden struggle of cancer patients

UAE residents find insurance patchy when it comes to treatment

BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE

Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega

Director: Tim Burton

Rating: 3/5

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The specs

Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo

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8 traditional Jamaican dishes to try at Kingston 21

Trench Town Rock: Jamaican-style curry goat served in a pastry basket with a carrot and potato garnish
Rock Steady Jerk Chicken: chicken marinated for 24 hours and slow-cooked on the grill
Mento Oxtail: flavoured oxtail stewed for five hours with herbs
Ackee and salt fish: the national dish of Jamaica makes for a hearty breakfast
Jamaican porridge: another breakfast favourite, can be made with peanut, cornmeal, banana and plantain
Jamaican beef patty: a pastry with ground beef filling
Hellshire Pon di Beach: Fresh fish with pickles
Out of Many: traditional sweet potato pudding

The candidates

Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive

Ali Azeem, business leader

Tony Booth, professor of education

Lord Browne, former BP chief executive

Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist

Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist

Dr Mark Mann, scientist

Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner

Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister

Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster

Key facilities

Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
Premier League-standard football pitch
400m Olympic running track
NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
600-seat auditorium
Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
Specialist robotics and science laboratories
AR and VR-enabled learning centres
Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills