Canadian Cancer Registry (CCR)

Five-year net cancer survival of population, proportion

Five-year net cancer survival refers to the survival probability that would be observed in the hypothetical situation where the cancer of interest is the only possible cause of death (i.e., the survival as far as the cancer of interest is concerned). Net survival is the preferred method for comparing cancer survival in population-based cancer studies because it adjusts for the fact that different populations may have different levels of background risk of death.

Population refers to the total membership, based on specific characteristics, of a group of people, objects or events at a given time and within a particular geographic area.

The data for this variable are reported using the following measurements:

• Age-specific 5-year survival estimates
• Age-standardized 5-year survival estimate