Ten-year survival of patients with cancer of the digestive tract in Umbria, Italy.

Survival statistics of 4135 incident cases of digestive system cancers in the Umbria region of Italy are reported. The original data are derived from an ad hoc survey carried out in the period 1978-1982. Observed and relative rates at 1, 5 and 10 years are presented separately by sex and age (< 60 and > or = 60 years). In both sexes there are very short survival rates for liver, bile duct and pancreas cancers, whereas about 50% of colon and rectum cancer patients survived at five years. About 20% stomach cancer patients survived at the same time. In males the survival rate for oesophagus cancer is close to 10%. The rates at ten years confirm the trend. Comparisons between sexes show that there is no significant differences in age at first diagnosis. Survival values are higher in females only for rectum cancers. In both sexes, for stomach, colon and rectum sites younger patients had a significantly longer survival than older ones.