Vic: Cancer survival rates improve, for some more than others

AAP General News (Australia)
04-20-2007
Vic: Cancer survival rates improve, for some more than others

Victoria's cancer survival rates are improving .. but country patients .. are at a
disadvantage .. according to latest figures.

A cancer survival report by the Cancer Council .. shows the overall five-year cancer
survival rate in Victoria improved from 48 per cent in 1990 to 61 per cent in 2004.

However .. the report found country patients had a three percentage point less chance
of surviving the disease than people in the city.

Report author DALLAS ENGLISH says the reasons are not clear but it could be later diagnosis
or less access to cancer services.

Cancer Council Victoria director DAVID HILL says reasons for the city-country difference
need further research with improved data.

AAP RTV kn/dk/imc/bart

KEYWORD: CANCER VIC (MELBOURNE)

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