Changes in Esophageal Cancer Survival: A Global Review of Survival Analysis from Cancer Registration Data over the Past Three Decades.

Zhuo Jun YE; Dan Ni YANG; Yu JIANG; Yu Xuan XIAO; Zhuo Ying LI; Yu Ting TAN; Hui Yun YUAN; Yong Bing XIANG

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Changes in Esophageal Cancer Survival: A Global Review of Survival Analysis from Cancer Registration Data over the Past Three Decades.

Author: Zhuo Jun YE ¹ ; Dan Ni YANG ² ; Yu JIANG ³ ; Yu Xuan XIAO ² ; Zhuo Ying LI ⁴ ; Yu Ting TAN ⁴ ; Hui Yun YUAN ⁵ ; Yong Bing XIANG ⁶
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1. School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China;Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China;Department of Epidemiology & State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200032, China.
2. School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China;Department of Epidemiology & State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200032, China.
3. Shanghai Changning District Center for Disease Control & Prevention, Shanghai 200051, China.
4. Department of Epidemiology & State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200032, China.
5. Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China.
6. Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China;Department of Epidemiology & State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200032, China.
Publication Type:Review
Keywords: Cancer registry; Esophageal cancer; Observed survival rate; Relative survival rate; Time trend
MeSH: Humans; Esophageal Neoplasms/mortality*; Registries; Male; Female; Survival Analysis; Middle Aged; Survival Rate; Aged; Global Health
From: Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2025;38(5):571-584
CountryChina
Language:English
Abstract: OBJECTIVE:To describe survival trends and global patterns of esophageal cancer (EC) using survival data from population-based cancer registries.
METHODS:We systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, SEER, and SinoMed databases for articles published up to 31 December 2023. Eligible EC survival estimates were evaluated according to country or region, period, sex, age group, pathology, and disease stage.
RESULTS:After 2010, Jordan exhibited the highest age-standardized 5-year relative survival rates (RSRs)/net survival rates (NSRs) at 41.1% between 2010 and 2014, while India had the lowest, at 4.1%. Survival rates generally improved with diagnostic age across most countries, with significant increases in South Korea and China, of 12.7% and 10.5% between 2000 and 2017, respectively. Survival was higher among women compared to men, ranging from 0.4%-10.9%. Survival rates for adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma were similar, differing by about 4%. In China, the highest age-standardized RSRs/NSRs was 33.4% between 2015 and 2017. Meanwhile, the lowest was 5.3%, in Qidong (Jiangsu province) between 1992-1996.
CONCLUSION:Global EC survival rates have improved significantly in recent decades, but substantial geographical, sex, and age disparities still exist. In Asia, squamous cell carcinoma demonstrated superior survival rates compared to adenocarcinoma, while the opposite trend was observed in Western countries. Future research should clarify the prognostic factors influencing EC survival and tailor prevention and screening strategies to the changing EC survival patterns.