Survival studies are an important indicator of the success of cancer control. We analyzed the 5-year relative survival in 23 solid cancers in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden over a 50-year period (1970-2019) at the NORDCAN database accessed from the International Agency for Research on Cancer website. We plotted survival curves in 5-year periods and showed 5-year periodic survival. The survival results were summarized in four groups: (1) cancers with historically good survival (>50% in 1970-1974) which include melanoma and breast, endometrial and thyroid cancers; (2) cancers which constantly improved survival at least 20% units over the 50 year period, including cancers of the stomach, colon, rectum, kidney, brain and ovary; (3) cancer with increase in survival >20% units with changes taking place in a narrow time window, including oral, oropharyngeal, testicular and prostate cancers; (4) the remaining cancers with <20% unit improvement in survival including lung, esophageal, liver, pancreatic, bladder, soft tissue, penile, cervical and vulvar cancers. For cancers in groups 1 and 2, the constant development implied multiple improvements in therapy, diagnosis and patient care. Cancers in group 3 included testicular cancers with known therapeutic improvements but for the others large incidence changes probably implied that cancer stage (prostate) or etiology (oropharynx) changed into a more tractable form. Group 4 cancers included those with dismal survival 50 years ago but a clear tendency upwards. In 17 cancers 5-year survival reached between 50% and 100% while in only six cancers it remained at below 50%.

Biomedical Center and Faculty of Medicine Pilsen Charles University Prague Pilsen Czech Republic

Cancer Gene Therapy Group Translational Immunology Research Program University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland

Comprehensive Cancer Center Helsinki University Hospital Helsinki Finland

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland

Department of Surgery University Hospital Pilsen Charles University Pilsen Czech Republic

Department of Urology Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland

Division of Cancer Epidemiology German Cancer Research Center Heidelberg Germany

Division of Pediatric Neurooncology German Cancer Research Center Heidelberg Germany

Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg Germany

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Conditional survival in breast cancer up to 10 years in the Nordic countries

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Population-Attributable Fractions of Personal Comorbidities for Liver, Gallbladder, and Bile Duct Cancers