AIHW report showing 90% of young people with cancer are surviving five years after diagnosis

As an oncologist, having to tell a young person, ‘you have cancer’ is incredibly challenging, but telling someone whose life is only truly getting started, ‘there’s nothing more we can do,’ is heartbreaking.

Huge efforts are being made globally to better understand and treat cancers, with a new AIHW report showing 90% of young people with cancer aged 15-24 years are surviving five years after diagnosis. While this news gives us hope, until all people survive their cancer, and live well post cancer without treatment side effects, our work is far from done.

I encourage you to take a moment and watch a news story featuring 18 year old Olivia Pawluk, an inspiring and resilient young adult who so eloquently highlights why those of us working in cancer control need to keep pushing ourselves to reach that elusive, but one day achievable 100% survival rate. This requires continued focus on research, innovation and care to improve outcomes for all adolescents and young adults diagnosed with cancer.

Source: Tracey O’Brien/ LinkedIn