The state of oncological care in Russia: liver cancer (C22). Age-specific characteristics of observed and relative one-year and five-year survival rates of patients (clinical-population study). Part 2

Abstract

Survival rate calculations for liver cancer patients at the federal level in the Russian Federation are only conducted in the North-Western Federal District and a few other individual administrative territories. In the first part of our study, we presented a detailed analysis of the prevalence of liver cancer, noting that the levels of standardized incidence and mortality rates in Russia and the North-Western Federal District are virtually identical, allowing us to consider the results of our study as nationally representative. The conducted research confirmed the seriousness of the issue of liver cancer among the population. However, certain advancements in patient treatment were recorded, with a significant increase in survival rates, primarily for one-year survival. For example, in the North-Western Federal District, one-year survival increased from 13.6% in 2000 to 23.1% in 2022, representing a 69.8% increase. At the same time, five-year survival rates remained largely unchanged. Increases in survival rates were observed in most age groups. A significant deficiency in the initial patient record-keeping was identified - insufficiently accurate determination of the stage of liver cancer. One-year survival rates for male and female liver cancer patients (22.7% and 22.1%) were nearly equal, as were the survival rates for liver cancer patients residing in urban and rural areas. Therefore, further improvement in the outcomes of treatment for this complex patient group can only be achieved through the implementation of regional and federal screening and epidemiological surveillance programs among populations at high and extremely high risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma.