New Data: 73.7% of Cancer Patients Now Survive 5+ Years

The probability of cancer patients diagnosed in the recent 5 years surviving more than 5 years has reached 73.7%. One out of every 19 citizens in Korea is a cancer survivor, and thyroid cancer, colorectal cancer, and breast cancer were found to be the most common types in that order. The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Central Cancer Registry announced on Jan. 20 the 2023 National Cancer Registration Statistics collected through the National Cancer Registration Statistics Project. The number of newly diagnosed cancer patients in 2023 was tallied at 288,613 (151,126 men and 137,487 women). The number of newly diagnosed elderly cancer patients aged 65 and over was 145,452 (90,062 men and 55,390 women), accounting for 50.4% of all cancer patients. Assuming the current cancer incidence rate continues in the future, the lifetime probability of developing cancer is estimated to be approximately 1 in 2 men (44.6%) and approximately 1 in 3 women (38.2%). In 2023, thyroid cancer was the most common cancer among both men and women. This was followed by lung cancer, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, stomach cancer, prostate cancer, and liver cancer in that order. Particularly among men, prostate cancer became the number one incidence rate for the first time, surpassing lung cancer. For women, breast cancer, thyroid cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, stomach cancer, and pancreatic cancer occurred most frequently in that order. In 2023, the most common cancers by age group for both men and women were: leukemia for ages 0-9, and thyroid cancer for teens, 20s, 30s, and 40s. For those in their 50s, it was breast cancer, and for those in their 60s, 70s, and 80s and above, it was lung cancer. Among all men and women aged 65 and over, lung cancer was the most common, followed by prostate cancer, stomach cancer, colorectal cancer, and liver cancer in that order. The 5-year relative survival rate for cancer patients diagnosed in the recent 5 years (2019-2023) was 73.7%. Compared to the relative survival rate (54.2%) of cancer patients diagnosed in 2001-2005, this represents an increase of 19.5 percentage points. By cancer type, the 5-year relative survival rates for prostate cancer and breast cancer were 96.9% and 94.7% respectively, showing high levels. In contrast, lung cancer (42.5%), liver cancer (40.4%), and pancreatic cancer (17.0%) still recorded low survival rates. The 5-year survival rate by gender was higher for women (79.4%) than men (68.2%). This is because thyroid cancer and breast cancer, which have high survival rates, occur more frequently in women. Meanwhile, from 1999, when nationwide cancer incidence statistics began to be calculated, through 2023, the total number of cancer survivors was 2,732,906, representing 5.3% of the total population. This means that 1 out of every 19 citizens is a cancer survivor. Among cancer patients diagnosed over the 5-year period, the survival rate for those diagnosed early was 92.7%, while those diagnosed with distant metastasis had a low survival rate of 27.8%. Lee Jung-kyu, director of public health policy at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said, “Cancer survival rates are steadily improving due to early screening and treatment outcomes,” adding, “We will work to prepare cancer management policies centered on cancer prevention and early diagnosis to respond to the increased cancer burden due to an aging society.”