Aug 2007 21

Cancer Survival Rates2

Apparently the United Kingdom has some of the worst rates of cancer survival in Europe, significantly worse than others spending a similar amount.  For ovarian cancer 30% survive in the UK whereas 43% survive in countries like Austria.  This difference has not been overcome by the NHS cancer plan, launched in 2000.  Listen to the study being discussed on the Today programme this morning (Real Audio).  The reasons given are shortfalls in radiotherapy and scanning capacity.

By contrast, in the United States – so often held up as a nightmare by those opposed to more private sector involvement in healthcare – rates are better than in Europe.

"Europe’s survival rates are lower than in the US, where 66.3 per cent of men
and 62.9 per cent of women survive for five years, compared with 47.3 per
cent of European men and 55.8 per cent of women. These figures may represent
earlier diagnosis."

There is a more comprehensive table of relative rates of survival in this Telegraph article.  Yet more evidence of the continued failure of political management of the British healthcare system.

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Matthew is Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, author of Let Them Eat Carbon and editor of How to Cut Public Spending (and still win an election)



  • http://profile.typekey.com/politicorich/ politicorich

    As Nigel Lawson said, the NHS is the closest thing the British have to a religion.
    Also, it is the NHS that makes people accept much of the rest of our state managed public services (it must be good, free like the NHS etc). It is critically important to point out facts like these, try to show how other systems deliver better service at lower cost.
    Here I think the most important statistic is how UK performs so badly when compared with EU – people become much more receptive to reform arguments when European social insurance models are held up as examples instead of the ‘nasty’ US model – even though it is the best performing.

  • http://www.mc-s.com.au Dr Jeff Aitkin

    I think i may have mentioned this before but I feel it is very related to this article. Personally, from what i have read of the findings of this and other cancer causation research there may never be a definitive conclusion because there are so many variables at play and over an extended period plus with so many environmental factors it’s nearly impossible to get a control group for the research.
    I have been monitoring a breast cancer support group in my city for a few years now which provides emotional support (great strength is found in the friendships these ladies have) and regular physical exercise and the results are definitely apparent. As part of the group support and research programme a series of double blind trials have been completed on an immuno enhancement combination therapy which your readers may find of interest. There are some details on http://www.mc-s.com.au.