Background and purpose: There are few studies referring to population-based cancer survival of bladder cancer for more than forty years in China. This paper was to offer basis for assessing long-term survival trends of bladder cancer and the prognosis of this cancer through analysis of the survival rates based on cancer report documents from 1972 to 2011 in Qidong. Methods: The deadline of the last follow-up for survival status of the 1 619 registered cases was Apr. 2012. Cumulative observed survival rate (OS) and relative survival rate (RS) were calculated using Hakulinen’s method performed by the SURV3.01 Software which is developed by Finnish Cancer Registry. Results: The one-

three-

five-

ten-

fifteen-

twenty-

and thirty-year OS rates were 59.91%

43.49%

35.98%

26.91%

21.30%

18.37% and 12.24%; and the one-

three-

five-

ten-

fifteen-

twenty-

and thirty-year RS rates were 64.07%

53.02%

50.06%

52.42%

59.59%

76.39% and 115.75%

respectively. For males

these OS rates were 60.84%

43.91%

36.95%

27.31%

21.49%

18.29% and 12.59%

and RS rates were 65.23%

53.95%

52.02%

54.57%

62.59%

79.12% and 117.07%

respectively; For females

these OS rates were 56.61%

42.03%

32.44%

25.65%

20.78%

18.80% and 0%

and RS rates

59.99%

49.91%

43.37%

45.86%

51.21%

69.02% and 0%

respectively. There were no statistical differences could be found between both sexes (P=0.256). Five-year RS rates of age groups 15-34

35-44

45-54

55-64

65-74

and more than 75 were 49.10%

67.53%

62.77%

53.92%

46.59% and 39.85%

and 10-year RS rates

49.79%

61.23%

52.99%

48.21%

54.94% and 51.21%

respectively. Remarkable improvement could be seen for the five-

ten-

and fifteen-year RS rates in this setting since 1980’s. Conclusion: The survival outcome from Qidong registered cases with bladder cancer shows gradual progress during the past 2 decades. Early detection and improvement of therapies may be the factors affecting the prognosis of bladder cancer. Although the disparities in survival rates between Qidong and the developed countries are getting narrower

potential for survival improvement still exists.