There are a lot of people in the world who have been harmed by cancer, and it's a dreadful disease. Survival rates have increased for many forms of cancer despite advances in medical technology. However, survival rates differ considerably between cancer types and stages of diagnosis. In this article, we'll take a look at how long people typically live after being diagnosed with some of the most common forms of cancer.
One of the most common forms of cancer is breast cancer. Breast cancer survival rates are directly proportional to the stage of diagnosis. According to the American Cancer Society, five years following diagnosis, approximately 99 percent of women with stage 1 or 2 breast cancer will still be alive. This means that around 99 out of 100 women with early-stage breast cancer are still alive five years following diagnosis. It is less likely that a woman will live beyond five years if she has breast cancer in stages 3 or 4. After five years, around 72% of women with stage 3 or 4 breast cancer will be alive.
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Another common form of cancer is one which affects the lungs. A higher percentage of breast cancer cases are cured than those of lung cancer. Lung cancer patients have a 5-year survival rate of about 18%. Mesothelioma lung cancer is frequently diagnosed at mesothelioma veterans center. The good news is that the number of people who survive lung cancer has increased in recent years thanks to advances in medical technology and methods for detecting the disease at an earlier stage.
Prostate cancer occurs frequently as well. After five years, the survival rate for men diagnosed with prostate cancer is about 100%. Prostate cancer screening tests, such as the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, have led to this impressive survival rate. Early detection of prostate cancer is crucial for successful, minimally invasive treatment.
Diseases of the colon and rectum, known together as "colorectal cancer," are the targets of this disease. Five years after being diagnosed, around 66% of those with colorectal cancer will still be alive. As with breast cancer, the prognosis for colorectal cancer is tied to its stage upon diagnosis. The five-year survival rate for stage 1 or 2 colorectal cancer is around 90%, while it is around 14% for stage 3 or 4 colorectal cancer.
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Lastly, pancreatic cancer has a lower likelihood of being cured than other types of cancer. After five years, just about 9 percent of those with pancreatic cancer will still be alive. The vast majority of cases are not discovered until advanced stages. Part of the reason for the dismal survival rate of pancreatic cancer is that it rarely shows any symptoms until it has already spread. Because of this, diagnosis and treatment are cumbersome.
In general, survival rates vary greatly amongst cancer kinds. Survival rates can only be increased for all cancers by detecting them early and treating them well. People should be aware of the warning signs of cancer and undergo frequent screenings and checkups to detect the disease at an early stage. Through cooperation, we can increase the likelihood that people with any type of cancer will live for a longer period of time.