RELATIVE SURVIVAL IN SELECTED CANCERS IN THE HELSINKI AND UUSIMAA REGION VERSUS NORDCAN ESTIMATES FOR FINLAND AND OTHER NORDIC COUNTRIES, 2014-2023
Author(s)
Ling Zhu, MSc1, Johanna Vikkula, MSc Tech2, Johan Rehnberg, PhD1, Bettina Mannerström, PhD3.
1Medaffcon Ab, Stockholm, Sweden, 2Medaffcon, Espoo, Finland, 3Medaffcon Oy, Espoo, Finland.
1Medaffcon Ab, Stockholm, Sweden, 2Medaffcon, Espoo, Finland, 3Medaffcon Oy, Espoo, Finland.
OBJECTIVES: Recent NORDCAN-based comparisons in the media have prompted discussion about cancer survival in Finland relative to other Nordic countries, yet the Finnish estimates may be affected by incomplete national Cancer Registry data. This study aimed to estimate relative survival (RS) for selected cancers using register data from the Helsinki and Uusimaa (HUS) region, covering approximately 30% of the Finnish population, and compare these with corresponding NORDCAN benchmarks.
METHODS: This retrospective study included patients diagnosed with multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, or lung, cervical, liver, kidney or colorectal cancer in the HUS region in 2014-2023. Age-standardized 1- and 5-year RS estimates were stratified by sex, cancer type and diagnosis period, 2014-2018 or 2019-2023, and compared with NORDCAN estimates and confidence intervals.
RESULTS: Overall, HUS 1- and 5-year RS estimates were higher than or similar to NORDCAN estimates for Finland across cancers, sexes and diagnosis periods, except for cervical cancer. In 2019-2023, HUS 5-year RS estimates were notably higher for both sexes compared to NORDCAN for multiple myeloma (female; 70% vs 59%, male; 70% vs 56%), lung cancer (female; 41% vs 29%, male; 25% vs 17%) and colorectal cancer (female; 77% vs 72%, male; 73% vs 68%). Compared with NORDCAN estimates for Sweden, Denmark and Norway in 2019-2023, HUS RS estimates were largely similar, with only minor variation by cancer type, sex or diagnosis period, supporting the consistency of HUS estimates with established Nordic survival patterns.
CONCLUSIONS: HUS-based relative survival estimates were generally comparable with NORDCAN estimates for Finland and other Nordic countries. The overall pattern of these preliminary results suggest that cancer survival and care in Finland may not be as unfavorable as recent NORDCAN-based interpretations may indicate. Our results show that regional register data can provide a complementary source for benchmarking cancer outcomes and interpreting national survival benchmarks.
METHODS: This retrospective study included patients diagnosed with multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, or lung, cervical, liver, kidney or colorectal cancer in the HUS region in 2014-2023. Age-standardized 1- and 5-year RS estimates were stratified by sex, cancer type and diagnosis period, 2014-2018 or 2019-2023, and compared with NORDCAN estimates and confidence intervals.
RESULTS: Overall, HUS 1- and 5-year RS estimates were higher than or similar to NORDCAN estimates for Finland across cancers, sexes and diagnosis periods, except for cervical cancer. In 2019-2023, HUS 5-year RS estimates were notably higher for both sexes compared to NORDCAN for multiple myeloma (female; 70% vs 59%, male; 70% vs 56%), lung cancer (female; 41% vs 29%, male; 25% vs 17%) and colorectal cancer (female; 77% vs 72%, male; 73% vs 68%). Compared with NORDCAN estimates for Sweden, Denmark and Norway in 2019-2023, HUS RS estimates were largely similar, with only minor variation by cancer type, sex or diagnosis period, supporting the consistency of HUS estimates with established Nordic survival patterns.
CONCLUSIONS: HUS-based relative survival estimates were generally comparable with NORDCAN estimates for Finland and other Nordic countries. The overall pattern of these preliminary results suggest that cancer survival and care in Finland may not be as unfavorable as recent NORDCAN-based interpretations may indicate. Our results show that regional register data can provide a complementary source for benchmarking cancer outcomes and interpreting national survival benchmarks.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-11, ISPOR Europe 2026, Vienna, Austria
Value in Health, Volume 29, Issue 12S
Code
EPH80
Topic
Clinical Outcomes, Epidemiology & Public Health, Methodological & Statistical Research
Disease
No Additional Disease & Conditions/Specialized Treatment Areas, Oncology