Prognosis of lung cancer patients in Japan according to data from the Japanese Joint Committee of Lung Cancer Registry.

An organ-based lung cancer registry is currently maintained by the Japan Joint Committee of Lung Cancer Registry; this registry contributes to the development of lung cancer treatments and provides TNM classification data. In Japan, the overall 5-year survival rate has improved over time to 52% in 2004; the corresponding rates for each pathologic stage have also improved. Previously, separate registries were maintained for surgical and non-biased cases, whereas a prospective registry for non-surgical cases was added in 2012, and a follow-up examination of those data will be conducted in 2016. In addition, a registry of surgical cases from 2010 will be constructed in 2016. The information provided by these registries should better reveal the status of lung cancer patients in Japan.