2nd report: Stats Canada - Conditional survival analyses across cancer sites

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Conditional survival analyses across cancer sites

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"Survival statistics are an indicator of the effectiveness of cancer detection and treatment.¹  These statistics are used to compare cancer control over time² and across jurisdictions.^3,4  They are also of interest to clinicians providing direct care and to patients, who usually want an estimate of their prognosis.⁵
Survival estimates are typically presented as the probability—or the ratio of observed and expected probabilities in the case of relative survival—of surviving a given length of time (for example, five years) after diagnosis.  However, these estimates are less informative for people who have survived one or more years, as the risk of death due to cancer is often greatest in the first few years.  After this initial period, the prognosis can improve substantially, so the earlier estimates no longer apply.⁶ The outlook for such people can be estimated more appropriately using conditional survival.
For the first time in Canada, predicted conditional relative survival estimates are presented for a large number of cancers.  Cancers with the greatest relative improvement in prognosis since diagnosis are highlighted.  Cancers showing less improvement are also identified. (See The data)