Cancer Survival Rate

When a person is diagnosed with cancer, the first questions that come to mind are  “What is my chance of surviving this cancer?” or  “How long do I have to live?” . One of the tools used to answer these and other questions from patients with this disease is the cancer survival rate.

As detailed by the Mayo Clinic on its website, the doctor cannot predict the future after the diagnosis of this condition, but can make an estimate based on the experiences of other patients who have already suffered from it. Want to know more about it? Keep reading!

What is the cancer survival rate?

The cancer survival rate is a medical statistical analysis that estimates the survival probability of a person diagnosed with cancer. Generally,  the survival rate is calculated at 1, 2 and 5 years after cancer diagnosis.

In other words, it is an analysis that tries to estimate how many people diagnosed with cancer can survive a certain period of time. It is important to mention that this estimate should not be confused with the rate of disease progression.

These statistics are usually presented in conjunction with the survival rate, but they do not provide the same information. Therefore, this is a detail that all patients must take into account in order not to misinterpret.

How is it calculated?

The survival rate is calculated using information collected from scientific studies for each type of cancer. Thousands of people around the world participate in these studies. These people are monitored for a certain period, during which evolution and the time elapsed until death are observed.

To perform this analysis with a specific cancer, the following are considered:

• the type of cancer
• The stage of cancer (step)
• patient age
• Time elapsed since diagnosis

It should be mentioned that  these statistics do not take into account other medical conditions that the patient has. Thus, if the patient does not have other illnesses, he is likely to have a better chance of survival than statistics suggest.

What is the cancer survival rate used for?

The survival rate is presented in percentages. For example, the 5-year chance of survival after being diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer for 50-year-old women is 97%.

This information is used to help the doctor explain to the patient the severity of their illness. In addition, it can help both the patient and the doctor to make treatment decisions.

In some cases, the likelihood of surviving cancer does not justify the side effects or the financial cost of the treatment that the patient will have to undergo.

survival rate calculators

Currently, there are tools that aim to simplify this information for patients and healthcare professionals. Different survival calculators are available online.

Through them, a person can enter the data corresponding to the diagnosis and, automatically, will obtain the survival rate. These features are generally available in English.

In Portuguese, cancer survival estimates are available in scientific studies, websites of specialized institutions and specialized books.

What should be clear about this topic?

Data estimated on cancer survival rate are valuable information for physicians and patients diagnosed with this disease. We must make it clear that this information is not the same as the rate of disease progression. Although they are usually presented together, these data refer to different things.

On the other hand, one should bear in mind that the  survival data are also crucial for making decisions about treatment. In many cases, the chances of survival justify the costs and side effects of treatment.