Cancer survival rate — Find out what it means and how it applies to you.
One of the first questions many people ask when first diagnosed with cancer is about their prognosis. You might want to know whether your cancer is relatively easy or more difficult to cure. Your doctor can't predict the future, but he or she can give you estimates based on the experiences of other people with the same cancer.
It's up to you whether you want to know the survival rates related to your cancer. The numbers can be confusing and frightening.
What can't cancer survival rates tell you?
Cancer survival statistics can be frustrating because they can't give specifics about you. The survival rate for people with your particular cancer might be based on thousands of people. So while cancer survival rates are meant to give you a general idea of people in your situation, they can't give you your individual chances for remission. This can be frustrating and for that reason, some people choose to ignore cancer survival rate statistics.
Survival rates have other limitations. For instance, they can't:
- Give you information about the latest treatments. People included in the latest cancer statistics were diagnosed more than five years ago. The effects of any recent treatment discoveries won't impact survival statistics for at least five years.
- Tell you what treatments to choose. That's entirely up to you and your doctor. For some people, the treatment with the greatest chance for remission is the one they'll choose. But many people figure other factors, such as side effects and the treatment schedule, into their decision.
You might choose to ignore cancer survival rates
It's entirely up to you whether you want to know the survival rates associated with your type and stage of cancer. Because survival rates can't tell you about your situation specifically, you might find the statistics are impersonal and not very helpful. But some people want to know everything they can about their cancer. For that reason you might choose to know all the statistics that pertain to you.
The more you know about your type, grade and stage of cancer, the more closely you can predict your risk. If you have a very localized cancer and you are using statistics that include many people with a more widespread cancer, then that data may not apply to you.
Knowing more about your cancer can reduce the anxiety you feel as you analyze your options and begin your treatment, but survival statistics can be confusing and frightening. Tell your doctor if you'd prefer not to pay attention to the numbers. And if you have any questions or concerns about the statistics associated with your cancer, talk about it with your doctor.
Last Updated: 04/06/2007
