The rate of survival after five years of people with lung cancer has doubled since the 1990s, but, even today, this disease has killed more patients than any other type of cancer, according to a statistical Canada report published on Wednesday.
The report published indicates that the number of people still alive five years after the diagnosis increased from 13 % to 27 % between 1992 and 2021.
Lung cancer is still responsible for almost a quarter of cancer deaths in Canada.
The report attributes the increase in survival to lung cancer to new treatments, in particular drugs targeting specific molecules in cancer cells and immunotherapy, which encourages the patient’s immune system to attack cancer cells.
“In the 1990s, receiving a diagnosis of lung cancer was in a way a death sentence,” said Jessica Moffatt, vice-president of programs and defense of rights to the pulmonary health foundation during an interview with the conclusions of Statistics Canada.
“Cancer was detected very late, generally in stage four, and the chances of survival were very low. »»
Moffatt agreed that more effective treatments partly explain the increase in survival rates to lung cancer, but also noted that better screening was essential.
“What we see today is that we are able to detect cancer earlier, where treatment is more likely to be effective,” she said.
It expects the survival rates after five years to be higher than that indicated by statistical Canada data for 2021, after the implementation of organized lung cancer programs in Ontario, British Columbia and Nova Scotia in 2022.
These programs evaluate patients’ risk factors, such as age and history of smoking, and if they are deemed at high risks, they are recommended to be prescribed by a low -dose computed tomography examination with a family doctor or a practitioner nurse.
Depending on the results of this “reference computed tomography”, explained Jessica Moffatt, patients return for regular screening or are oriented towards a diagnostic assessment if the examination suggests the presence of lung cancer.
It expects the survival rate to increase as more provinces finance the lung cancer screening programs.
“One of the most common stories we hear is that of a person suffering from a persistent cough. She consults her family doctor, who may have prescribed antibiotics, then returns home. Without success, she goes to the emergency room to receive other antibiotics. Time passed and lung cancer, the tumor, was developing, “said the representative of the Pulmonary Health Foundation.
“When the diagnosis is finally received, the tumor is at a very advanced stage. This is why organized screening aims to reduce the probability of these kinds of situations, as people most at risk should be detected frequently to detect any progress in cancer. »»
Statistics Canada indicates that cancers whose survival rate after five years is 90 % or more include thyroid, testicles, prostate and breast cancer, as well as melanoma.
Cancers with the lowest survival rates, less than 10 %, include mesothelioma (membrane cancer that surrounds most internal organs) and liver bile ducts, can also be read in the report.
According to the document, these cancers, as well as pancreatic cancer, are often diagnosed at an advanced stage, while cancer has already spread.
Statistics Canada has collected data on cancer survival rates from the Canadian Cancer register and the Canadian Database of Civil Status Database – Death.
