Less survivable cancers, those with an average survival rate of 16 percent, include lung, esophageal, and pancreatic cancers. A study by the U.K. National Health Service shows that people often receive a diagnosis of these cancers only after an emergency hospital admission or a doctor referral after symptoms become severe.

Among the factors that contribute to the low survivability of these cancers is a lack of awareness by the general public and healthcare professionals of vague symptoms that might lead to diagnosis at a later stage, Marleen I. Meyers, MD, clinical associate professor in the Department of Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and director of the Survivorship Program at NYU Langone Health’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, tells Medical News Today.

“Some of the less survivable cancers are related to health behaviors, such as smoking and toxin exposure,” Dr. Meyers says. “Prevalence can be decreased by addressing these issues.”

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