Cancer survival in Chennai (Madras), India, 1990-1999.

The Madras metropolitan tumour registry was established in 1981, and registration of incident cancer cases is entirely done by active method. Data on survival for 20 cancer sites or types registered during 1990-1999 are reported. Follow-up has been carried out predominantly by active methods with a median follow-up time ranging between 2-28 months for different cancers. The proportion of histologically verified diagnosis for various cancers ranged between 45-100%; death certificates only (DCOs) comprised 0-5%; 68-95% of total registered cases were included for survival analysis. Complete follow-up at five years ranged between 83-96%. The 5-year age-standardized relative survival rates for common cancers were cervix (60%), breast (47%), stomach (8%), oesophagus (9%), lung (6%) and mouth (36%). The 5-year relative survival by age group portrayed either an inverse relationship or fluctuated. A majority of cases were diagnosed with regional spread of disease, and survival decreased with increasing extent of disease. The absolute difference in 5-year relative survival of most cancers diagnosed in 1984-1989 and1990-1999 ranged between 2-3%, with lesser survival in the latest period in most instances.