UK has some of worst cancer survival rates in developed world, report says

The six cancers in the study account for nearly half of all common cancer deaths in the UK. Photograph: David Davies/PA

The UK has some of the worst cancer survival rates in the developed world, according to new research.

Analysis of international data by the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce found that five-year survival rates for lung, liver, brain, oesophageal, pancreatic and stomach cancers in the UK are worse than in most comparable countries. On average, just 16% of UK patients live for five years with these cancers.