Ontario’s investments in cancer care are producing results and have established the province as a global leader, according to a new international study.

The study, published in the Lancet, looked at survival rates for four cancers – lung, breast, colorectal and ovarian in six countries. For colorectal cancer survival, Ontario ranked first from Canada and third among 12-health jurisdictions across six countries.  For lung and ovarian cancers, Ontario ranked second overall.

These results show that past investments in cancer care in Ontario are making a difference. Recent investments include:

• Redevelopment and expansion of nine regional cancer centres. 

• Canada’s first organized province-wide colorectal cancer screening program.

• Free vaccine to protect young females against the human papillomavirus (HPV), the major cause of cervical cancer.

• Expansion of the provincial breast cancer screening program by funding an additional 248,800 screens and adding 52 new breast cancer screening sites in Ontario since 2003/04, for a total of 152.

The six countries in the study are: Australia, Canada, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom. In Canada, Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia and Manitoba participated in the study.