5-year relative survival for all cancers combined
In the period 2013–2017, 5-year survival was 70% for all cancers combined. This means that among people with cancer, the likelihood of surviving for at least five years after diagnosis was 70% of that expected for the overall population.1
Age and sex
In the period 2013–2017, 5-year survival for all cancers combined was:
- Higher for persons aged under 44 years (ranging from 85% to 90%), but gradually decreased with increasing age to less than 40% for those aged 85 years and over. Similar patterns across age groups were observed for both males and females.
- Higher for females than males in age groups between 15 and 64 years. This difference was most pronounced for those aged between 35 and 54 years, where 5-year survival ranged from 85% to 99% for females and 77% to 83% for males.
The difference in survival by age may be influenced by a number of factors, such as cancer stage at diagnosis, differences in treatments received, and extent of comorbidity (especially among older persons).4
This difference in cancer survival by age and sex may be influenced by differences in survival outcomes for high-incidence, sex-specific cancers such as prostate cancer in males and female breast cancer (see ‘5-year survival by cancer type’ below).
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, 5-year survival data are presented as observed survival rather than relative survival due to limited availability of relevant life tables. Survival data for the period 2013–2017 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and non-Indigenous persons are available from the Australian Cancer Database 2017 (ACD 2017).
In the period 2013–2017, 5-year observed survival for all cancers combined was:
- 49% for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (compared to 60% for non-Indigenous Australians (ACD 2017).
- Higher for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander females (53%) than males (45%). A similar pattern occurred for non-Indigenous Australians, with females having a higher 5-year observed survival (64%) than males (58%) (ACD 2017).
The difference in survival by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status may be influenced by a number of factors, such as cancer stage at diagnosis, differences in treatments received, and extent of co-morbidity. 2
For more information about the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population see the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cancer Control Indicators ‘5-year survival’.
Remoteness
Survival data by remoteness area are presented using observed survival rather than relative survival due to the limited availability of relevant life tables.
In the period 2013–2017, 5-year observed survival across remoteness areas for all cancers combined was:
- Lower with increasing remoteness, ranging from 63% in Major Cities to 59% in Remote and Very Remote areas. This was largely due to decreasing 5-year survival for males living in areas with increasing remoteness.
Socioeconomic status (SES)
Survival data by SES areas are presented using observed survival rather than relative survival due to the absence of relevant life tables.
In the period 2013–2017, 5-year observed survival across SES areas for all cancers combined was:
Higher with increasing socioeconomic status, ranging from 56.5% in the lowest SES areas (SES 1) to 68% in the highest SES areas (SES 5). Similar patterns across SES areas were observed for both males and females.
Higher for females than males living in increasing socioeconomic areas. (i.e., 60% for females, 54% for males in the lowest SES areas (SES 1), and 70% for females, 67% for males in the highest SES areas (SES 5))
5-year relative survival by cancer type
In the period 2013–2017, 5-year survival for the 18 cancer types reported in this analysis (see Table 1 in ‘About the Data’) was:
- Highest for prostate cancer (95.5%), followed by melanoma of the skin (92%), and female breast cancer (91.5%).
- Lowest for pancreatic cancer (11.5%), followed by cancers of unknown primary site (13%), lung cancer (20%), liver (21%), brain (22%) and oesophagus (22.5%).
Age and sex
In the period 2013–2017, 5-year survival by age for the 18 cancer types reported was:
- Generally decreased with increasing age across all cancer types. The ages at which survival began to decrease, and the extent of this decline, varied for each cancer type.
- Higher for females than males for cancers of the head and neck (including lip) (71% for males, 74.5% for females), lung (17% for males, 25% for females), melanoma (91% for males, 94% for females), and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (74% for males, 77.9% for females).
- Higher for males than females for cancers of the bladder (58% for males, 47.5% for females) and unknown primary site (16% for males, 10% for females).
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people , 5-year survival data are presented as observed survival rather than as relative survival due to the limited availability of relevant life tables at the time of publication.
In the period 2013–2017, 5-year observed survival for the 18 cancer types reported was:
- Lower for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people than non-Indigenous Australians for cancers of the head and neck (including lip) (42% for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons compared to 63% for non-Indigenous persons), bladder (33% for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons compared to 44% for non-Indigenous persons), unknown primary site (4% for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons compared to 10% for non-Indigenous persons), liver (11% for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons compared to 19% for non-Indigenous persons), and lung (12% for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons compared to 18% for non-Indigenous persons)
- Higher for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (39.5%)than non-Indigenous Australians (21%) for brain cancer.
- Lower for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males than non-Indigenous males for prostate cancer (78% compared to 83% respectively).
- Lower for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander females than non-Indigenous females for cancers of the breast (78%, 85% respectively), and cervix (58%, 71% respectively).
Differences in survival by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status may be influenced by a number of factors, such as cancer stage at diagnosis, differences in treatments received and co-morbidities. 2
For more information about the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population see the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cancer Control Indicators ‘5-year survival’.
Remoteness
Survival data by remoteness area are presented using 5-year observed survival rather than relative survival due to the limited availability of relevant life tables. 2
In the period 2013–2017, 5-year observed survival across remoteness areas for the 18 cancer types analyzed was:
- Higher for persons living in Major Cities than for those living in other remoteness areas for brain (23% compared to 19% for persons living in Inner Regional areas), lung (19% compared to 16% for persons living in Inner Regional areas), liver (21% compared to 15% for persons living in Inner Regional areas) and pancreatic (11% compared to 9% for persons living in Inner Regional areas) cancers.
- Marginally Lower for persons living in Major Cities than for those living in Remote and Very Remote areas for melanoma (82% compared to 85%, respectively), unknown primary site (11% compared to 13% respectively), colorectal (61% compared to 61.5% respectively) and rectal cancer (63% compared to 64% respectively).
- Higher for males living in Major Cities than for males living in other remoteness areas for liver (22% compared to 14.5% for bother Inner & Outer regional areas), lung (16% compared to 10% for males living in Remote and Very Remotes areas), colon (59% compared to 57.5% for males living in Remote and Very Remotes areas), head and neck (including lip)(65% compared to 56% for males living in Remote and Very Remotes areas), oesophagus (21% compared to 17% for males living in Remote and Very Remotes areas), pancreas (10% compared to 7% for males living in Remote and Very Remotes areas), and prostate cancers (85% compared to 82% for males living in Outer Regional areas).
- Lower for males living in Major Cities than for males living in Remote and Very Remote areas for bladder (46% compared to 47%), unknown primary site (13% compared to 17%), melanoma (80% compared to 82%, respectively), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (67% compared to 68% respectively) and rectum (62% compared to 63% respectively).
- Higher for females living in Major Cities than for females living in other remoteness areas for brain (24% compared to 19% for females living in Outer Regional areas), breast (86% compared to 84% for females living in Inner Regional & Remote and Very Remotes areas), cervix (73% compared to 64% for females in Remote and Very Remotes areas), liver (18% compared to 13% for females living in Outer Remotes areas), lung (23% compared to 17% for females in Remote and Very Remotes areas), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (70% compared to 67% for females living in Inner Regional areas), pancreas (11% compared to 9% for females living in Inner & Outer Regional areas) and uterus (78% compared to 74% for females living in Outer Regional areas).
Socioeconomic status (SES)
Survival data by SES areas are presented using 5-year observed survival rather than relative survival due to the limited availability of relevant life tables. 2
In the period 2013–2017, 5-year observed survival across SES areas for the 18 cancer types reported was:
- Highest for persons living in the higher SES areas (SES 4 and SES 5) than for those living in the lowest SES areas (SES 1) for each of the selected cancer types analysed.
- Higher for persons living in either of the highest SES areas (SES 4 or 5) than for those living in either of the lowest SES areas (SES 1 or 2) for all 18 selected cancer types.
- Higher for males living in the highest SES areas (SES 5) than for males living in the lowest SES areas (SES 1) for each of the selected cancer types analysed.
- The highest survival for males was found in the highest SES areas (SES 5) except for bladder (SES 4, 49% compared to 48.5% in SES 5 areas) and brain cancers (SES 4, 25.5% compared to 20% in SES 5 areas).
- Higher for females living in the highest SES areas (SES 5) than for females living in the lowest SES areas (SES 1) for each of the selected cancer types analysed.
- The highest survival estimates for females were found in the highest SES areas (SES 5) except for liver (SES 4, 21.5% compared to 17% in SES 5 areas), oesophagus (SES 4, 24% compared to 20% in SES 5 areas) and rectum (SES 4, 67% compared to 65% in SES 5 areas).