Types of Cancer Survival Rate Statistics Table
Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2010/07/15 - Updated: 2020/04/04
Topic: Cancer and Tumors - Publications List
Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main
Synopsis: Statistics table data shows approximate cancer survival rate in percentage within 5 years after being diagnosed with various types of cancers. If your health is otherwise perfect, you're likely to have a greater chance of survival than the statistics suggest.
Introduction
Cancer survival statistics are typically expressed as the proportion of patients alive at some point subsequent to the diagnosis of their cancer.
Focus
- Relative survival - An estimate of the percentage of patients who would be expected to survive the effects of their cancer.
- Observed survival - The actual percentage of patients still alive at some specified time after diagnosis of cancer. It considers deaths from all causes, cancer or otherwise.
Statistics compare the survival of patients diagnosed with cancer with the survival of people in the general population who are the same age, race, and sex and who have not been diagnosed with cancer. Survival statistics don't take into account other medical conditions you have. Because survival statistics are based on large groups of people, they cannot be used to predict exactly what will happen to an individual patient.
If your health is otherwise perfect, you're likely to have a greater chance of survival than the statistics suggest. So while cancer survival rates can give a general idea about most people in your situation, they can't give your individual chances for cure or remission. For that reason, some people ignore cancer survival rate statistics. Remember, no two patients are entirely alike, and treatment and responses to treatment can vary greatly.
| Percentage of patients deceased within 5 years after diagnosis | |
|---|---|
| Pancreatic cancer | 94% |
| Liver cancer | 83.9% |
| Lung cancer | 83.4% |
| Esophageal cancer | 82.7% |
| Stomach cancer | 72.3% |
| Brain cancer | 66.5% |
| Ovarian cancer | 55.8% |
| Leukemia | 44% |
| Laryngeal cancer | 39.4% |
| Oral cancer | 37.8% |
| Colon cancer | 35.1% |
| Bone cancer | 33.6% |
| Rectal cancer | 33.5% |
| Cervical cancer | 32.1% |
| Kidney cancer | 28.2% |
| Bladder cancer | 22.1% |
| Uterine cancer | 18.5% |
| Breast cancer | 10.8% |
| Skin cancer | 8.7% |
| Thyroid cancer | 2.3% |
| Prostate cancer | 0.8% |
Survival Percentages
In the past cancer was considered to be fatal. However, nowadays it has come to be recognized as a curable illness.
- Breast cancer - The most common tumor in women, presents a high survival percentage: 83% of patients have survived this type of cancer after five years.
- Lung cancer - One of the most aggressive tumors and survival after five years is very low: only 10% of patients diagnosed with a malignant neoplasm survive for more than five years.
- Colorectal cancer (colon and rectum) - The most common malignant tumor if we group men and women together, presents an average survival rate of 50-55% five years after diagnosis, meaning that half the patients survive this form of cancer.
- Prostate cancer Today the most common tumor in men, has an increasingly favorable prognosis, with a global survival rate of 76%, which is higher in young adults.
- Ovarian cancer - Presents a very varied prognosis depending on age: whilst 70% of the group between 15 and 44 years survives this form of cancer, this is the case for only 19% of those over 74 years old.
- Testicular cancer - A rare malignant tumor that mainly affects middle-aged males, is the tumor with the best prognosis, with a 95% survival rate five years after diagnosis.
- Skin melanoma - Displays one of the highest survival rates, reaching values over 85%, although there are European countries where recovery exceeds 90%.
- Hodgkin's lymphoma - Displays high recovery with survival greater than 92% amongst young people, although amongst elderly groups it fails to reach 50%.
Reference: www.cancer.gov/statistics/find (Statistics from the period between 2003 and 2009)
Author Credentials: Ian is an Australian-born writer, editor, and advocate who currently resides in Montreal, Canada. He is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability-a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.