One in five people diagnosed with metastatic cancer in the Netherlands is still alive three years later, according to new research by the national cancer institute IKNL. The findings point to a slow but steady improvement in survival thanks to advances in treatment.

Some 22,000 people a year are told their cancer has spread when they are first diagnosed and a further 18,000 are diagnosed with metastatic cancer after their original diagnosis.

“It is always bad news, and it remains so, even with this new perspective,” said Natasja Raijmakers, head of palliative care research at IKNL. Half of those diagnosed with metastatic cancer die within seven months, but for others, survival rates are improving. and the three-year survival rate has risen from 17% in 2018 to 21% today.

Metastatic cancer means that tumour cells have spread to other organs, and treatment is often aimed at slowing the disease and relieving symptoms rather than achieving a cure.

Raijmakers said the improvement in outcomes is largely due to new forms of treatment such as immunotherapy and targeted therapy, which work differently from chemotherapy.

“These treatments focus on the immune system or specific tumour characteristics,” she said. “For a small group of patients, they work remarkably well, allowing them to live much longer. But unfortunately, that success is not universal.”

An Reyners, chairwoman of the Dutch oncologists’ association NVMO said conversations about palliative care can sometimes be difficult, but they are essential.

“Depending on the patient’s wishes and outlook, we have careful discussions about treatment options – about the possible advantages and disadvantages, not only medically but also in daily life,” she said.

Survival rates also vary greatly, depending on the type of cancer. Patients with breast and prostate cancer live the longest, while melanoma, kidney and lung cancer patients have had the best results with the new approach to treatment.