New international research shows Canada has among the highest survival rates for lung cancer and colon cancer when compared to other high-income countries, but lags in survival rates for esophageal and rectal cancer.

The data was published this week in The Lancet Oncology and looked at survival statistics for seven types of cancer in Canada, Australia, Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom.

The research comes from the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership. It collected data on 3.9 million patients with seven types of cancer: esophagus, stomach, colon, rectum, pancreas, lung, and ovary. The cancers were diagnosed between 1995 and 2014, and followed up until Dec 31, 2015.

Researches say that while survival rates continue to improve in high-income countries, likely thanks to improved treatment and earlier diagnosis, disparities persist.

When it comes to lung cancer - the leading cause of cancer deaths in Canada - statistics taken between 2010-2014 show the five-year survival rate in this country was highest at 22 per cent. It was lowest in the U.K. at 15 per cent.

Colon cancer survival rates were second-highest in Canada at 67 per cent, behind Australia's 71 per cent survival rate.