Cancer survival rate up

The survival rate for cancer patients has increased significantly over the past five years, a positive sign for those trying to overcome the disease, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Thursday.

In a report, the ministry said the rate reached 64.1 percent between 2006 and 2010, up from 53.7 percent between 2001 and 2005, and 44 percent between 1996 and 2000.

The report, jointly compiled by the Korea Central Cancer Registry, showed that the number of cancer patients in 2010 increased by 98.5 percent from 2000 but the survival rate also increased proportionately.

The rate for women reached 73.3 percent, compared to 55.4 percent for men.

The report presumed that the survival rate of women was higher because of the higher probability of cures for thyroid, breast and uterine cervical cancers that affect females disproportionately.

The report showed the most common cancers among patients in 2010 were of the thyroid followed by stomach, colorectal, lung, liver, breast and prostate.

Among men, stomach, colorectal, lung, liver and prostate cancers were most common in that order and for women it was thyroid, breast, colorectal, stomach and lung cancers.

The rate of cancer occurrence has increased by 3.5 percent on average every year since 1999 _ 5.6 percent for women and 1.6 percent for men.

For the average Korean, if they live until 81, the probability of suffering from cancer was 36.4 percent. Two out of five men and one out of three women are likely to be afflicted with the disease.

The rate of cancer occurrence in Korea was higher than the global standard, standing at 282.3 people out of 100,000, compared with the OECD average of 256.5. However, the numbers were lower than those of the United States (300.2) and Canada (296.6).

“As the survival rate of cancer patients is on the rise, more diverse support plans will be needed to help cancer patients get on with their lives,” the report said. <The Korea Times/Yun Suh-young>