The use of radiotherapy in the cure of different cancers - further results from the FORTY (favourable outcomes from radiotherapy) project
Burnet, N. G. Mee, T. Kirkby, N. F. Kirkby, K. J.
Burnet, N. G.
Mee, T.
Kirkby, N. F.
Kirkby, K. J.
Abstract
AIMS: Overall, almost 40% of patients surviving 5 years are estimated to have received radiotherapy (RT). The utilisation of RT for individual tumour types in 5-year survivors was examined. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patient-level data on RT utilisation in cancer patients in England were analysed. Patient, tumour, and treatment event data were obtained for the 5-year period 2009-2013, together with 5-year individual patient survival (to 2018 ie pre Covid-19 pandemic). All tumour sites (excluding C44) and ages were included. 5-year survivors (n = 537,970) were divided into 22 tumour sites, plus a category of 'Other' (5% of patients) where tumour site was unknown, leaving 508,753 with known tumour site diagnosis. RESULTS: Overall cancer-specific 5-year survival was 52%. Of the 5-year survivors with definite tumour site diagnosis, 200,269 (39%) received RT. Breast cancer accounted for 50% of RT patients, prostate 24%. 75% of breast cancer 5-year survivors received RT, 65% of head and neck patients, 49% of rectum, 49% of central nervous system (CNS), and 43% of prostate patients. 25% of lymphoma 5-year survivors received RT. Only 29% of lung cancer 5-year survivors received RT. In 6 tumour sites (pancreas, leukaemia, kidney, colon, ovary, and melanoma), <5% of patients (n = 3981, 2%) received RT. Excluding these, 50% of 5-year survivors received RT. CONCLUSIONS: RT contributes significantly to 5-year survival. RT was delivered to 50% of 5-year survivors in tumour sites where RT is utilised for ≥5% of patients. Including the additional tumour sites where RT is used rarely, RT was delivered to almost 40% of patients. We recommend that this exercise is repeated regularly. This 50% figure emphasises the importance of RT. It is critical for service planning and public health messaging. It should be noted for the development of the new cancer plan.
Description
Date
2025
Publisher
Collections
Keywords
Type
Article
Citation
Burnet NG, Mee T, Kirkby NF, Kirkby KJ. The Use of Radiotherapy in the Cure of Different Cancers - Further Results From the FORTY (Favourable Outcomes From RadioTherapY) Project. Clinical oncology (Royal College of Radiologists (Great Britain)). 2025 Sep;45:103902. PubMed PMID: 40763368. Epub 2025/08/05. eng.