Survival differences between the USA and an urban population from China for all cancer types and 20 individual cancers: a population-based study

BACKGROUND: The systematic comparison of cancer survival between China and the USA is rare. Here we aimed to assess the magnitude of survival disparities and disentangle the impact of the stage at diagnosis between a Chinese metropolitan city and the USA on cancer survival. METHODS: We included 11,046 newly diagnosed cancer patients in Dalian Cancer Registry, China, 2015, with the follow-up data for vital status until December 2020. We estimated age-standardised 5-year relative survival and quantified the excess hazard ratio (EHR) of death using generalised linear models for all cancers and 20 individual cancers. We compared these estimates with 17 cancer registries’ data from the USA, using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. We further estimated the stage-specific survival for five major cancers by region. FINDINGS: Age-standardised 5-year relative survival for all patients in Dalian was lower than that in the USA (49.9% vs 67.9%). By cancer types, twelve cancers with poorer prognosis were observed in Dalian compared to the USA, with the largest gap seen in prostate cancer (Dalian: 55.8% vs USA: 96.0%). However, Dalian had a better survival for lung cancer, cervical cancer, and bladder cancer. Dalian patients had a lower percentage of stage Ⅰ colorectal cancer (Dalian: 17.9% vs USA: 24.2%) and female breast cancer (Dalian: 40.9% vs USA: 48.9%). However, we observed better stage-specific survival among stage Ⅰ-Ⅱ lung cancer patients in Dalian than in the USA. INTERPRETATION: This study suggests that although the overall prognosis for patients was better in the USA than in Dalian, China, survival deficits existed in both countries. Improvement in cancer early detection and cancer care are needed in both countries. FUNDING: National Key R&D Program (2021YFC2501900, 2022YFC3600805), Major State Basic Innovation Program of the 10.13039/501100005150Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2021-I2M-1-010, 2021-I2M-1-046), and Talent Incentive Program of Cancer Hospital of 10.13039/501100005150Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.