title: Trends in survival for teenagers and young adults with cancer in the UK 1992-2006.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although relatively rare, cancer in teenagers and young adults (TYA) is the most common disease-related cause of death and makes a major contribution to years of life lost in this age group. There is a growing awareness of the distinctive needs of this age group and drive for greater understanding of how outcomes can be improved. We present here the latest TYA survival trends data for the United Kingdom (UK).
  
  
  METHODS
  Using national cancer registry data, we calculated five-year relative survival for all 15-24 year olds diagnosed with cancer or a borderline/benign CNS tumour in the UK during the periods 1992-1996, 1997-2001 and 2002-2006. We analysed trends in survival for all cancers combined and for eighteen specified groups that together represent the majority of TYA cancers. We compared our data with published data for Europe, North America and Australia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five-year survival for all cancers combined increased from 75.5% in 1992-1996 to 82.2% in 2002-2006 (P<0.001). Statistically significant improvements were seen for all disease groups except osteosarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, non-gonadal and ovarian germ cell tumours and ovarian and thyroid carcinomas. During the earliest time period, females had significantly better survival than males for five of the twelve non-gender-specific disease groups. By the latest period, only melanomas and non-rhabdomyosarcoma soft tissue sarcomas had differential survival by gender. Survival in the UK for the most recent period was generally similar to other comparable countries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Five-year survival has improved considerably in the UK for most cancer types. For some disease groups, there has been little progress, either because survival already approaches 100% (e.g. thyroid carcinomas) or, more worryingly for some cancers with poor outcomes, because they remain resistant to existing therapy (e.g. rhabdomyosarcoma). In addition, for a number of specific cancer types and for cancer as a whole males continue to have worse outcomes than females.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Outcomes Unit, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4BX, UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: O'Hara
authors.affiliation: Public Health England, The Palatine Centre, 63-65 Palatine Road, Withington, Manchester M20 3LJ, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.affiliation: NIHR University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, UCL Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, 250 Euston Road, London NW1 2PG, UK.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Whelan
authors.affiliation: NIHR University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, UCL Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, 250 Euston Road, London NW1 2PG, UK.
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Hough
authors.affiliation: Public Health England, 4150 Chancellor Court, Oxford Business Park South, Oxford OX4 2GX, UK.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Stiller
authors.affiliation: School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, Level 6, UHB Education Centre, Upper Maudlin Street, Bristol BS2 8AE, UK.
authors.forename: M C G
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.affiliation: Leeds Institute of Cancer and Pathology, Cancer Genetics Building, St James's University Hospital, Beckett Street, Leeds, LS9 7TF, UK.
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Stark
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Worsley Building, Clarendon Way, LS2 9JT, UK.
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Feltbower
authors.affiliation: Centre for Paediatric, Teenage and Young Adult Cancer, Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Young Oncology Unit, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4BX, UK. Electronic address: martin.mccabe@manchester.ac.uk.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: McCabe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D009656:North America / Q000453:epidemiology; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D017741:Survivors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adolescent; Cancer; Outcomes; Survival; TYA; Teenage; Trends; UK