Impact of cancer therapy on survival

Survival rates improved significantly for 28,036 lymphoma and leukemia patients studied between 1950 and 1973. Nine cancers reviewed demonstrated increased one, three and five year survival rates. Greatest improvement was acute lymphocytic leukemia survival. Least improvement was for chronic granulocytic leukemia. Analyses of age-specific trends in U.S. cancer mortality since 1960 indicates death rates decreased 20% for all ages up to 45 years. This included 70% of the population, but less than 10% of all cancer deaths. Age groups over 55 experienced an 8% increase in cancer mortality. Accurate determination of national cancer incidence trends is not presently possible. Available data, representing approximately 15 million population, indicate that cancer incidence rates increased between 1960 and 1973. Age-specific trend analyses indicate unusual divergences. For the group 15 to 29-years-old, incidence increased 28% in 13 years and there was a concomitant decrease of 20% in mortality.