The US, Australia, Canada, France and Japan had the highest five-year cancer survival rates, while Algeria had the worst.

There is a huge variation in cancer survival rates across the world, a global study shows.
The US, Australia, Canada, France and Japan had the highest five-year survival rates, while Algeria had the worst, Lancet Oncology reported.
The UK fared pretty poorly, trailing most of its western European neighbors--although the data is from the 1990s since when survival rates have risen.
Spending on health care was a major factor, the study of 31 countries said.
Researchers said higher spending often meant quicker access to tests and treatment. The research was carried out by more than 100 scientists across the world led by Professor Michel Coleman, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, BBC reported.
It involved analyzing data on more than two million cancer patients who were diagnosed and treated during the 1990s.
The study showed the US had the highest five-year survival rates for breast cancer at 83.9 percent and prostate cancer at 91.9 percent.
Japan came out best for male colon and rectal cancers, at 63 percent and 58.2 percent respectively, while France fared best for women with those cancers at 60.1 percent and 63.9 percent.
The UK had 69.7 percent survival for breast cancer, just above 40 percent for colon and rectal cancer for both men and women and 51.1 percent for prostate cancer.
There were also large regional variations within the UK, which were linked to differences in access to care and ability of patients to navigate the local health services. Both are directly linked to deprivation.
A Department of Health spokesman said the report covered patients diagnosed between 1990 and 1994.
“Since that time, cancer survival rates in England have been steadily improving, but we accept that there is further work to do to reduce the gap between us and the rest of northern and western Europe and America.“
Algeria, the only African country involved, came bottom in all types of cancer.
It meant an American man was four times more likely to survive prostate cancer than an Algerian, while a Japanese man was six times more likely to survive colon cancer.
Poland, Slovenia, Brazil and Estonia had survival rates half as good as the best performers. The results closely mirrored the amount each country was spending on health during the period.

Many US tabloids have been flooded with rumors of George W. Bush’s family misfortunes recently. The latest gossip is about George and Laura Bush to divorce after November elections.
Italy’s La Repubblica newspaper wrote with reference to The National Examiner tabloid that George and Laura Bush were planning a divorce after the presidential election in the USA, Pravda said.
According to the supermarket tabloid, George and Laura Bush hardly ever speak to each other. George feels very unhappy and does not want Laura to leave him. However, the newspaper wrote, Laura is tired of everything; she is determined to live her own life.
The couple still keeps their relationship alive just because they are contractually obliged to stay together during George W. Bush’s presidency; it is not a matter of feelings at all.
They are both certain that they have rendered a huge service to their country. They pretend that their marriage is still alive in spite of the fact that it was buried long ago. The divorce will be kept a secret until the president retires, the newspaper wrote.
The tabloid dwells upon the reasons which could lead to the possible divorce. The newspaper believes that George . W. Bush has been having an affair with US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice. A former employee of the presidential administration told The National Examiner that Laura Bush once spent her night in a hotel to stay away from the White House.
Laura Bush will reportedly be paid $20 million in case she divorces her husband.
It is worthy of note that it was not the first time, when US tabloids wrote about George W. Bush’s affair with Condoleezza Rice. Rice became the center of tabloid gossip in the USA two years ago in July. Many US newspapers wrote back then that Condi had a love affair with President Bush.
Wayne Madsen, a national security expert, wrote in 2006 that George W. Bush confessed during a session with his psychologist that he was attracted to other women. Bush reportedly named Condoleezza Rice as an object of his fantasies.
Rice has earned the reputation of the Bushes’ family friend. She became close to President Bush mainly because of the fact that she is the only person who finds a common language with Bush to teach him wisdom of foreign politics.
Indeed, unlike her predecessor, Colin Powell, Ms. Rice is in a very close relationship with President Bush. She talks to him on the phone at least once a day.
Mark McKinnon, former media advisor for President Bush, said that it would not be hard for Condoleezza Rice to take a higher position because this woman has unlimited political potential.

The southern Spanish city of Seville is to change 40 street names and withdraw a distinction awarded to a nationalist general in a break with the era of the Franco dictatorship, press reports said.
According to AFP , the municipal council approved the withdrawal of the title of “adopted son“ of Seville and a gold medal awarded to the late general Gonzalo Queipo de Llano, who captured the city in 1937 during the civil war that brought Francisco France to power.
The 40 street names to be changed bear the names of personalities or symbols of the France regime.
The measures were taken under a law approved in 2007 by the Socialist majority parliament to rehabilitate Franco’s republican opponents, particularly those killed during the war or under his rule.
The daily El Pais said some municipal authorities, particularly those held by the conservative Popular Party, were dragging their feet in applying the law, citing Malaga, Granada, Huelva and Cadiz.