Laryngeal (larynx) cancer - survival statistics

The latest age-standardised relative survival rates for laryngeal cancer in England during 2005-2009 show that 84.9% of men are expected to survive their disease for at least one year. Five-year age-standardised data is not available but the un-standardised rates show that 66.8% men are surviving five years or more (Table 3.1).1,2 Broadly similar rates have been reported for Scotland.3

Table 3.1: Laryngeal Cancer (C32), Age-Standardised One-, Five- and Ten-Year  Relative Survival Rates, Males (Aged 15-99), England 2005-2009 and England and Wales 2007

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*Five-year survival rates are not age-standardised
**Ten-year survival rates have been predicted for patients diagnosed in 2007 (using the hybrid approach)

A common misconception is to treat five-year survival rates as ‘cure’ rates. However, for laryngeal cancer, survival falls by around 10% beyond five years after diagnosis, so for laryngeal cancer the five-year survival rate does not represent a ‘cure’ rate. (Table 3.1).4  

The five-year relative survival rates for laryngeal cancer are among the highest of the 21 most common cancers in England.1 These relatively high survival rates could be attributed in part to the fact that more than 60% of cases of laryngeal cancer are diagnosed via two-week wait or GP referral and are therefore diagnosed at an early stage.5 Like most cancers, when caught at an early stage treatment is much more effective.

section updated 01/05/12

As with nearly all cancers, relative survival for laryngeal cancer is higher in younger men, even after taking account of the higher background mortality in older people. The reasons for this are likely to include a combination of better general health, more effective response to treatment and earlier diagnosis in younger people overall. Differences in underlying tumour biology may also play a part.

The five-year relative survival rates for laryngeal cancer in men in England during 2005-2009 ranged from almost 70% in 50-59 year olds to 54% in 80-99 year olds (Figure 3.1).1

Figure 3.1: Laryngeal Cancer (C32), Five-Year Relative Survival Rates by Age, Males, England 2005-2009

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section updated 01/05/12

As with the majority of cancers, relative survival for laryngeal cancer is improving. This can generally be attributed to faster diagnosis and improvements in treatment. However, the improvement has been slow and there is still scope for improvement. Increasing cancer survival rates remains a major priority of Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer.6 An outcome of this Strategy is the National Awareness and Early Diagnosis Initiative (NAEDI), which is a public sector/third sector partnership between the Department of Health, National Cancer Action Team, and Cancer Research UK. The role of NAEDI is to promote the earlier diagnosis of cancer.

One-year relative survival rates have been used as an indicator of early diagnosis, since death before one year could be due to the disease being diagnosed at a late stage. In men, one-year relative survival rates for laryngeal cancer increased from 78% in England and Wales during 1971-1975 to 84.9% in England during 2005-2009 (Figure 3.2).1,7-9

Figure 3.2: Laryngeal Cancer (C32), Age-Standardised One-Year Relative Survival Rates, England and Wales 1971-1995 and England 1996-2009

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*Survival rates are for England only from 1996 onwards

While relative survival rates are still influenced by early diagnosis after five years, they are also strongly dependent on the success of treatment. In men, five-year relative survival rates for laryngeal cancer increased from 57% in England and Wales during 1971-1975 to 66.8**% in England during 2005-2009 (Figure 3.3).1,7-9

Figure 3.3: Laryngeal Cancer (C32), Age-standardised Five-Year Relative Survival Rates, England and Wales 1971-1995 and England 1996-2009

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*Survival rates are for England only from 1996 onwards
**Survival rates for 2005-2009 are not age-standardised

Ten-year relative survival rates for men diagnosed with laryngeal cancer increased from 51% in England and Wales during 1971-1975 to a predicted** 61.6% in England in 2007 (Figure 3.4).2,9,10

Figure 3.4: Laryngeal Cancer (C32), Age-standardised Ten-Year Relative Survival Rates, Males, England and Wales 1971-1995 and Predicted 2007**, and England 1996-2000 

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*Survival rates for 1971-1985 are not age-standardised
**The ten-year survival rates have been predicted for patients diagnosed in 2007 (using the hybrid approach).

section updated 01/05/12