Oesophageal cancer
The terms 1 year survival and 5 year survival don't mean that you will only live for 1 or 5 years.
The NHS, other health organisations, and researchers collect information. They record what happens to people with cancer in the years after their diagnosis. 5 years is a common time point to measure survival. But some people live much longer than this.
5 year survival is the number of people who have not died from their cancer within 5 years after diagnosis.
Below are general statistics based on large groups of people. Remember, they can’t tell you what will happen in your individual case.
There are no UK-wide statistics available for oesophageal cancer survival by stage.
Survival statistics are available for each stage of oesophageal cancer in England. These figures are for people diagnosed between 2016 and 2020.
Please bear in mind that these statistics do not take into account what treatment people had.
Almost 65 out of 100 people (almost 65%) with stage 1 oesophageal cancer will survive their cancer for 5 years or more after they're diagnosed.
Around 30 out of 100 people (around 30%) with stage 2 oesophageal cancer will survive their cancer for 5 years or more after they're diagnosed.
Around 20 out of 100 people (around 20%) with stage 3 oesophageal cancer will survive their cancer for 5 years or more after they're diagnosed.
There are no 5 year survival statistics for stage 4 cancer. NHS England does provide statistics for 4 year survival for people with stage 4 oesophageal cancer.
5 out of 100 people (5%) with stage 4 oesophageal cancer will survive their cancer for 4 years or more after they are diagnosed.
The UK survival statistics come from England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have a similar population and health care system. So we can apply these survival statistics to the whole of the UK.
Generally for adults with oesophageal cancer in the UK:
around 45 out of every 100 (around 45%) survive their cancer for 1 year or more
more than 15 out of every 100 (more than 15%) survive their cancer for 5 years or more
almost 15 out of every 100 (almost 15%) survive their cancer for 10 years or more
Your outlook depends on the stage of the cancer when it was diagnosed. This means how big it is and whether it has spread.
The type of cancer and grade of the cancer cells can also affect your survival. Grade means how abnormal the cells look under the microscope.
Your general fitness and other health conditions also affect survival. Health conditions could affect the treatments you can have. And good general fitness might help you cope better with your cancer and treatment.
For more in-depth information about survival and oesophageal cancer, go to our Cancer Statistics section.
Last reviewed: 03 Jul 2023
Next review due: 03 Jul 2026
You might have surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy or a combination of these treatments. This depends on a number of factors including the stage and type of your oesophageal cancer.
The stage of a cancer tells you how big it is and whether it has spread. It helps your doctor to know which treatment you need.
Oesophageal cancer is a cancer of the food pipe. The food pipe is also called the oesophagus or gullet and is part of the digestive system.
You usually start by seeing your GP. They might refer you to a specialist and organise tests.
There is support available to help you cope during and after oesophageal cancer treatment. This includes diet tips to help you eat well.
Oesophageal cancer starts in the food pipe, also known as your oesophagus or gullet. The oesophagus is the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach.
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