Epidemiology of cancer survival — Poland in the European context and time perspective

Introduction. Analysis of 5-year survival rates is crucial for assessing the effectiveness of national cancer care systems. This study analyses the dynamics of 5-year net survival (NS) for seven common cancers in Poland (2000–2018) and benchmarks national results against the international CONCORD-3 study. Material and methods. Data from the CONCORD-3 study (2000–2014) and the Polish Cancer Registry (PLCR) (2015–2018) were utilized. Age-standardized 5-year net survival was estimated for seven cancer sites using population life tables and the Pohar Perme estimator. Results. A systematic increase in 5-year NS was observed across all analyzed cancers (2000–2018). The greatest improvement was in prostate cancer (+16.4 pp), while lung cancer showed the smallest progress (+5.7 pp). However, Polish NS rates remained significantly below the estimates of leading Western and Northern European countries. Conclusions. Despite an overall positive temporal trend in NS, substantial survival disparities persist compared to the European leaders. Urgent action is needed to increase screening participation and improve access to modern treatment to effectively bridge this evident gap.