Mortality rates of cancers in 13 to 24 year olds have decreased from 42.9 per million in 2001 to 32.3 per million in 2015, a new report from the Teenage Cancer Trust and Public Health England has found.
The analysis found that the largest reduction in mortality in England between 2001 and 2015 has been in leukaemias. There were also reductions seen in mortality from Central Nervous System tumours, bone cancer and in lymphoma. Five-year survival rates for cancer in 13 to 24 year olds have risen from 83% females and 80% males in 2001-05 to 87% in females and 84 % males in 2007-11.
‘It's fantastic that this new report shows for the first time that cancer survival rates are improving in young people. This hugely positive shift has occurred since the decision by NICE in 2005 to recognise and treat teenagers and young adults as a unique patient group and embedded within the NHS the model of care,’ said Kate Collins, Chief Executive of Teenage Cancer Trust.
‘Over time, our partnership with the NHS has gone from strength to strength and it’s this infrastructure and specialist workforce that supports key developments that may have contributed to some of the improvements in survival we can evidence today, including through growing access to some clinical trials, supporting advances in treatments and improving patient experience.’
However, the report also identified statistically significant variations in incidence and survival rates of cancer based on geography and deprivation. Additionally, the incidence of cancer in 13 to 24 year olds in England has increased from a crude rate of 233.1 per million in 2001, to 299.7 per million in 2015.
‘As more young people are diagnosed with cancer, more face an uncertain future where their life is put on hold at a time when it should just be getting started,’ added Ms Collins. ‘We know that there are now more young people than ever before who need our specialist care and support.’