Therapeutic results for cancer have gradually improved. The relative five-year survival rate of those affected with the disease already exceeds 65% in Finland. New cancer therapies play an indisputable role in the improvement of the prognosis. Besides therapy and its availability, many other causes may also have a considerable effect on the survival of affected persons, making comparison of regional survival rates unreliable as a measure of cancer treatment. The review deals with factors affecting the survival of persons having cancer and includes descriptions of some of the most recent cancer treatments and a discussion about the challenges of developing cancer therapies.